Armstrong, IA (KICD)– A third defendant connected to a lengthy investigation involving several former Armstrong city leaders has pled guilty.

Online court records show Connie Thackery was originally chargedwith second and third degree theft along with ongoing criminal conduct and nonfelonious misconduct in February 2021 after an investigation by the State of Iowa found a number of irregularities during a long term investigation into the city’s books.

Thackery submitted a written guilty plea last month as part of a plea deal and is scheduled for sentencing May 2nd.

Two other defendants in the case, former Mayor Greg Buum and Police Chief Craig Merrill are still scheduled to go to in front of a jury later this year after successfully having their trials separated and moved from Emmet to Clay County.