ARMSTRONG, Iowa - Four current and former high ranking city employees in the northern Iowa town of Armstrong face felony charges.
Armstrong's mayor, police chief, its current city clerk and a former city clerk are charged following a multi-year investigation into possible wrongdoing.
The accusations include the misappropriation of city funds, the presentation of fraudulent public records, deploying a TASER against a civilian in exchange for cash and concealing embezzlement.
Mayor Greg Buum, Police Chief Craig Merrill, City Clerk Tracie Lang and former City Clerk Connie Thackery are charged with 21 felony and misdemeanor counts.
The top count against Buum, Merrill, and Thackery is a charge of ongoing criminal conduct, a felony
The top charge against Lang is fraudulent practice in the first degree, which is also a felony.
The Iowa Attorney General's Office is prosecuting the cases because of a possible conflict of interest on the part of the Emmet County Attorney.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation assisted the Emmet County Sheriff’s office with the Investigation.
(Pictured - Mayor Greg Buum (left), Former City Clerk Connie Thackery, City Clerk Tracie Lang)
Images from the Iowa Department of Criminal investigation