ST. GEORGE — An August court date has been set for Virgin mayor Jay Lee and the town's former clerk. Both face one second-degree felony charge of misuse of public funds.
Lee, 58, who made an initial appearance in 5th District Court on Friday, waived his right to have a preliminary hearing scheduled within 30 days. His hearing is set for Aug. 25 at 2:30 p.m. before 5th District Judge James L. Shumate.
Stacey Noelle Higbee, 31, also waived her right to a preliminary hearing within 30 days during an initial appearance on Friday. Her case is set for an Aug. 4 preliminary hearing at 2:30 p.m. before Shumate.
No plea was entered by either defendant on Friday.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Washington County Sheriff's Office that began after a town audit showed more than $5,000 in advance wages was paid to a former employee. Lee is in his second term as mayor of Virgin, a small town near Zion National Park.
Higbee stopped working for Virgin late last year and moved to northern Utah.