Criminal Law
Mayor, Police Chief, and Two Clerks Arrested for Abusing Power in Iowa
The mayor, police chief, city clerk, and a former city clerk of a small Midwest town were all arrested for allegedly abusing their power — with crimes including stealing money, falsifying records, and strong-arming civilians, officials said.
In one instance, a resident in Armstrong, Iowa — population 840 — was attacked by one of the defendants with a stun gun to shake them down for money, authorities said.
“Mayor Greg Buum, police chief Craig Merrill, city clerk Tracie Lang, and former city clerk Connie Thackery were charged with felony and misdemeanor offenses in a 21-count joint trial information approved by the Emmet County District Court,” the Emmet County Sheriff’s said in a statement.
