Undergraduate Student Government Senate Vice President J. David James faces charges in a preliminary hearing today that he took more than $500 in cash and checks from the USG office in December.

James, 228 S. Allen St., is charged with burglary, theft by unlawful taking, and receiving stolen property, according to court records. He has been in Centre County Prison since Monday.

Bail was set at $10,000 on Jan. 7 following his arrest by University police for failing to appear in the Northampton County Courthouse on theft-by-deception and forgery charges, said University Police Service Officer Mark Stringer. The charges against James in the Northampton courthouse are unrelated to the charges filed in Centre County Court.

According to police records from the district magistrate's office in Philipsburg, James allegedly stole $570 in cash and checks between Dec. 14 and Dec. 15 from the USG office in the HUB. The money was deposited in a commercial bank account entitled "United Sanguinary Gladiators," which was in care of J. David James, according to the records.

A USG secretary -- whose personal check to USG was one of those taken -- was informed that it had been presented to People's National Bank, 117 S. Allen St. for deposit, Stringer said.

According to police records, the secretary also informed the police of two prior thefts when reporting the most recent incident. On Nov. 21, $280 was also taken and sometime between Dec. 11 and 12, $40 was taken. In both cases, James was the last person to leave the USG office, Jennifer Bronzini, USG business board director, told police.

James has not been charged in connection with the previous thefts. Stringer said he plans to charge James with the theft of $280 from Nov. 21 at today's preliminary hearing.

A police search of James' apartment turned up an account passbook and four deposit slips from People's National Bank, indicating that James allegedly deposited student government money into an account with the abbreviation "USG," Stringer said.

Senate President Ron Marlow said an official USG statement will be made tomorrow.

Donald T. Suit, the Director of the Office of Conduct Standards said he could not comment on this case, but normally in theft cases the office takes disciplinary action.