ATLANTA (AP) — A member of the Georgia state House is facing charges for allegedly misrepresenting her employment status to secure federal unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prosecutors announced on Monday that Rep. Sharon Henderson, a Democrat from Covington, has been indicted on charges of two counts of theft of government funds and ten counts of making false statements.

Henderson was taken into custody by federal agents at her residence on Monday. During her initial court appearance in Atlanta, where she was brought in wearing leg shackles, she entered a plea of not guilty. After being released on a $10,000 bail, Henderson declined to comment to The Associated Press.

U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg, speaking to WABE-FM, revealed that additional Georgia lawmakers are currently under investigation for allegedly obtaining unemployment benefits fraudulently through COVID-19 relief programs.

“We are actively investigating more cases, and it’s likely we’ll see further indictments involving current members of the Georgia state House,” Hertzberg stated in his interview with the radio station.

Henderson is accused of illegally collecting $17,811 in unemployment benefits. Hertzberg said in a statement that Henderson falsely claimed in 2019 that she was entitled to benefits as a laid off substitute teacher in Henry County, southeast of Atlanta. But Hertzberg said Henderson hadn’t worked for the school system since 2018 and her contract included an acknowledgment that substitute teachers aren’t entitled to unemployment payments.

Prosecutors say Henderson falsely claimed that she had worked for the school system throughout 2019 and into 2020 and then submitted weekly certifications, including eight in June 2021, after she had won election and was sworn into office in House District 13, which covers parts of Newton County.

The federal government paid special unemployment benefits during the pandemic, using state unemployment systems, to people who lost their jobs due to COVID-19. As with regular unemployment benefits, applicants had to certify every week that they remained unemployed to claim benefits.

“We expect that our public officials and individuals who have been entrusted by the public to serve in elected office are not going to lie in order to steal money from people who are needy,” Hertzberg told WABE-FM.

State and federal agencies investigated the case.

Under the state constitution, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp must now appoint a review commission composed of the attorney general, one member of the Senate and one member of the House to determine whether Henderson should be suspended from office after the indictment.

If the commission, after a hearing, recommends suspension, Kemp must suspend Henderson without pay until her charges are resolved. If Henderson isn’t convicted, she would be reinstated to office.

After losing primary bids for the House in 2016 and 2018, Henderson defeated incumbent Pam Dickerson in a primary in 2020. She won the general election without Republican opposition in 2020 and won reelection in 2022 and 2024.