Officials with First Texas Bank of Lampasas have referred a matter to police having to do with the possible misappropriation of funds.

Assistant Chief of Police Sammy Bailey confirmed that local authorities were asked to review the matter.

Because a federal agency -- the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. -- insures funds at the bank, the matter subsequently was referred to the FBI, however, Ms. Bailey said.

With the matter under review by law-enforcement officials, bank officials have declined comment at this time.

Donna Cowling, supervisory special agent with the FBI's Austin resident agency, said the mat- ter was referred to the FBI on July 21.

"At this time, the FBI has had an investigative matter referred to our agency by the Lampasas Police Department," she told the Lampasas Dispatch Record. "The FBI is looking into the information provided to us."

No charges have been filed, she said. She characterized the probe as being in the preliminary stages. The FBI at this point does not know how long the investigation will take, Ms. Cowling said.

The FBI official had no comment on the amount of money allegedly involved.

The Austin resident agency of the FBI -- a satellite office of the bureau's division headquarters in San Antonio -- encompasses a number of counties in Texas, including Lampasas County.

In matters handled by the FBI, if charges are filed, a determination would first be made on whether to file a complaint through a federal or local law-enforcement office, Ms. Cowling said.

Federal charges would be handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Austin, while local charges would be handled by the district attorney's office, she said.

If the FBI determines a federal case can be made, the matter will be forwarded to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

That office then will give a "prosecutorial opinion" on whether or not the elements of a crime have been met -- and if charges should be filed, said FBI spokesman Erik Vasys of San Antonio.