Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman was charged Tuesday with two counts of misusing public monies — one a third-degree and the other a second-degree felony — and placed on paid administrative leave.

"It is always difficult to charge a public official with any wrongdoing," District Attorney David Yocom said in a press conference announcing the charges, which were filed in 3rd District Court. "However . . . I have a responsibility under the law to charge the criminal conduct the evidence warrants."

Shortly after Yocom's announcement, the County Council in emergency session unanimously voted to put Workman on leave and appointed Deputy Mayor Alan Dayton as acting mayor. County Clerk Sherrie Swensen swore him in.

Workman said she will fight the charges and refused to withdraw from her re-election race.

"I have acknowledged since the beginning that I could have and should have followed different procedure in accomplishing what I considered to be a very worthy goal . . . ," she said in a statement. "But, recognizing my own mistakes, my conscience is clear in terms of any criminal allegations. I know I will be fully vindicated."

Yocom said Workman will be booked on the charges sometime this week after he speaks with Workman's attorney, Ron Yengich, who was out of town. Yocom said Workman will be released on her own recognizance.

The charges are the culmination of a monthslong investigation dating back to May, when Yocom received a whistle-blower complaint dealing with a health department employee. The employee was being paid but no one in the department, including her ostensible boss, knew what she was doing.

Yocom's investigators discovered that the position, filled by two women in turn over the course of about a year, was for accounting work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Valley under the supervision of Workman's daughter, Aisza Wilde. Workman herself signed their timecards.

A bipartisan panel of prosecutors from other counties, convened by Yocom to screen the evidence, concluded last week there was "sufficient credible evidence" to support two felony charges and one misdemeanor charge in the matter. Among other misconduct, they said Workman lied to investigators and her own staffers.

As most observers expected, Yocom closely followed the panel's conclusions, minus the misdemeanor.

Yocom said he sees no conflict in his office prosecuting Workman, though he said he would appoint an independent special prosecutor if she requests it.

The council is required by law to place on leave any county official charged with a felony. Dayton, who will serve until the charges against Workman are adjudicated or until another mayor takes office, said he will not substantially change the direction of the county while he is at the helm.