Former arts council employee charged with fraud has hearing set

A Cape Girardeau woman accused of defrauding her former employer, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, had her preliminary hearing set Tuesday before Associate Circuit Court Judge Scott Thomsen. Valaree Rutherford, 24, who was in court for the first time with counsel, will appear before Thomsen again June 8. Rutherford is charged with felony forgery, accused of charging more than $13,000 to a Staples credit card belonging to the arts council. At the time, Rutherford was the administrative assistant for the not-for-profit agency. She used the credit card to purchase gift cards and a GPS. At two previous hearings, Rutherford appeared without an attorney, claiming she hadn't earned enough money to pay someone yet.