A DeKalb County Courthouse employee pleaded not guilty Thursday after being indicted on charges of defrauding the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program out of more than $41,000.

Erica L. Walker, 48, of DeKalb, faces six charges: two each in connection with theft of government funds, forgery and wire fraud, according to the indictment filed Oct. 17 in DeKalb County court.

Authorities said she collected PPP money for a business that did not exist, records show. If convicted of the Class 1 felonies – wire fraud and theft – Walker could face up to 15 years in prison.

She appeared via Zoom with her defense attorney, Brian Erwin, before Lake County Circuit Judge Mark L. Levitt in the 19th Circuit Court.

Erwin did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Walker, who worked for more than 20 years in the DeKalb County Courthouse, also did not respond.

When asked Thursday if Walker was still employed at the courthouse, DeKalb County Circuit Clerk and Recorder Lori Grubbs said she is unable to comment on personnel matters.

Walker was charged in DeKalb County after an investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, Her case is being prosecuted outside of the county because of Walker’s connection to the DeKalb County judicial system.

The money from both loans – totaling $41,250 – was deposited into Walker’s bank account, according to court records.

Authorities allege that Walker admitted to receiving thousands in PPP loans for a home-remodeling company that “did not exist,” according to records filed in September.

On or about April 15, 2021, Walker received a $20,625 PPP loan from a company called Fountainhead SBF LLC, claiming that she was the sole owner, court records show. She listed the residential remodeling company at 1426 E. Dresser Road in DeKalb. She’d filled out a 2020 form that claimed the company had reported $99,000 in gross sales, according to court records.

She did not list that income on her 2020 tax return, however, records show. Weeks later, on about May 11, 2021, Walker received a second PPP loan through the federal CARES Act program, which was meant to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.