Former nonprofit director gets April court date

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Former United Way of Central Arkansas Executive Director Samantha Huseas Pierce pleaded not guilty Monday in Faulkner County Circuit Court to one count each of forgery and fraudulent use of a credit card, and a trial date was set forThursday, April 22.

Pierce, 37, is charged with forging United Way board member Barbara Money’sname on a $4,933 check to purchase a used truck for her family and with using a United Way credit card for “more than half a dozen” purchases of items for personal use, Prosecuting Attorney Marcus Vaden said.

Vaden said the criminal charges amount to between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of United Way funds.

Before her arraignment, Pierce, who stood with her husband in the back of the crowded courtroom, was asked in a brief interview, “Did you forge Barbara Money’s name or anyone else’s?”

Pierce hesitated, then said, “It’s complicated.”

Pierce was assigned a public defender, KarenKnight of Conway.

A special accounting report that Little Rock firm Hudson Cisne and Co. gave to the United Way board inDecember showed $30,000 in financial irregularities.

Vaden explained that not everything that might be objectionable to the United Way board is a violation of criminal law.

The Conway Police Department investigated andturned the matter over to the prosecuting attorney’s office.

Pierce resigned Sept. 4 and sent an e-mail to supporters saying she wanted to find something “more conducive to my family life.” She was put on paid leave a few days before that because of “professionalissues,” including missing work, according to a source within the United Way.

Pierce said in an e-mail shortly after her resignation she had explained the absences to the board and offered doctor’s documents as support.

She had worked as a volunteer for the United Way for 10 years and was hired as community impact director before being promoted to executive director in September 2005. Before going to work for the United Way, she was a photographer and police reporter for the Log CabinDemocrat newspaper.

Pierce wrote in a e-mail after the charges were filed, “Those who truly know me know that I would never do anything to hurt the United Way.” - tkeith@ arkansasonline.com

River Valley Ozark, Pages 61 on 03/11/2010

Print Headline: Former nonprofit director gets April court date