A retired Hall County Schools electrician surrendered Tuesday night to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office after investigators uncovered discrepancies in maintenance and repair invoices.

Ricky Donald Loggins, 48, of Maysville is accused of privately selling materials and pocketing more than $55,000.

A 31-year employee of the school district, he retired on Feb. 1.

After the district’s internal audit, information indicated repair contracts had been manipulated, which triggered a financial discrepancy in maintenance projects that occurred prior to Loggins’ retirement, the sheriff’s office news release states.

Hall County school authorities brought information to the attention of Earl Roach, the district’s supervisor/coordinator for safety and emergency preparedness and a school resource officer, who went through the chain of command to sheriff’s investigators, said Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

During the investigation, the sheriff’s office determined that from February to December of 2012, Loggins might have committed a theft by conversion.

As a result, investigators obtained a warrant for his arrest.

The legal definition of theft by conversion in Georgia states that when individuals wrongly use property or funds of another for their own purposes, it is a felony.

Gordon Higgins, Hall County Schools spokesman, said this is the only investigation that turned up “red flags” for the school district. No other employees are under investigation, he said.

The district is highly disappointed if Loggins is the thief, Higgins said.

He said the school district is providing information and support for law enforcement.

Loggins graduated from Johnson High School in 1982. He then obtained a job as a maintenance worker for the school district and developed skills to move into an electrical foreman position.

Loggins was booked into the Hall County Jail, charged with theft by conversion. He is currently free on a $5,000 bond.

A list of equipment and supplies from the theft is still under investigation by the sheriff’s office.