Durham, N.C. — Durham County Sheriff's Office has issued an arrest warrant for a former employee, who is charged with embezzling money from the sheriff's department.

Sheriff Worth Hill had refused to name the former employee who authorities said confessed to stealing thousands of dollars, saying only the employee worked in the civil division.

According to a warrant issued Wednesday, a woman named Kim Perkins was charged with embezzlement. Perkins was a one-time employee of the year, who worked for the sheriff's office's civil processing division from May 2003 until last month. She had been employed, though, since May 1999.

But the sheriff's office has not served the warrant, saying it is a complex case.

Hill said at least $21,000 is missing and thousands more dollars could still be unaccounted for. The office plans to hire an outside forensic auditor but says it could take months before the scope of the situation is known.

The sheriff's office would not say if anyone else could be involved.

Perkins was unavailable for comment Friday.