Former Town Clerk of Cedar Bluff Mary J. Shaner, 55, Thursday was arraigned on charges of felony theft in federal court in Birming-ham.

The arraignment came a week after Shaner was charged in a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court.

According to a U.S. attorney’s office spokesperson, a criminal information is similar to an indictment but charges do not have to go before a grand jury; instead, the information is outlined and the defendant is in agreement with a document filed by the U.S. attorney’s office.

The information charged that Shaner forged four checks totaling more than $13,000. It specifically charged Shaner with endorsing a Town of Cedar Bluff check dated March 25, 2003, in the amount of $2,338 that was made payable to a named individual.

Shaner was clerk for the Town Clerk of Cedar Bluff for many years until her resignation last month. Shaner faces a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

Shaner did not plead guilty Thursday; she was presented with the information and waived her right to a grand jury indictment, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

She is scheduled for another court appearance next month.