Former Foley Youth Cheerleader Association president Brandy Virginia Flowers was bound over to the grand jury Thursday on charges of illegally using association funds to pay for personal items and services.

Flowers, 29, of Elberta, faces six counts of illegal use of a credit card. Additional charges may be filed later and include illegal use of the association’s checking account, according to Foley police investigator Tony Fuqua, who testified during a preliminary hearing.

According to Fuqua, Flowers and association president Kristie Hagan of Foley were the only two members authorized to use the group’s checking account, which required signatures of both.

The funds were generated by donations and cheerleader fees to purchase uniforms, supplies and other items. The six counts sent to the grand jury involve a debit credit card issued in Flowers’ name which did not require co-authorization, Fuqua said.

The six transactions include a $264 payment to Cellular South for Flowers’ personal cell phone, $279 for utilities, $30 for gas, $392 to purchase a personal computer and $11.12 for lunch at a fast-food restaurant. The transactions were between Sept. 8 and Oct. 21, Fuqua said.

Flowers earlier confessed to using about $4,000 of the group’s money for personal use. She was relieved of duties a few months ago after Hagan and a group of coaches came to the conclusion that money was missing.

Fuqua testified Thursday that Flowers was the only member with a ledger. He also said Flowers told him the ledger was destroyed by rain water at her home due to a leaking roof.

Flowers also told Fuqua that between $6,000 and $8,000 in association funds were stolen from a closet at her home. Later, she told Fuqua $3,800 had been taken and that the money was hers, not the association.

She also said she “hid” her own money in the association account during a May separation from her husband, Fuqua said.

During cross examination by defense attorney Sam Jovings, Fuqua said he did not know if another ledger existed or if association guidelines allowed expense payments for gas and cell phone usage related to association business.

Following the hearing, defense attorney Sam Jovings said Flowers was in financial hardship and intended to pay the money back.

“She is guilty of bad judgment, but she was going to give it back,” he said. “The money stolen from her closet was a loan from family members to pay the association back.”

Jovings also said Flowers had served the association for nine years without pay or an expense account.

“Who is to say she didn’t incur cell phone expenses during association business, or that the $30 in gas wasn’t reimbursement for travel to get uniforms or supplies?” he said.

Jovings also questioned the accuracy of alleged association losses.

“If she was the only one with a ledger and it was destroyed, how do they know what was taken?” Jovings said.