(Atlantic, IA) – The former director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce who was facing four felony charges related to unauthorized financial transactions, has agreed to waive her rights and enter a plea that drops two of the charges against her. Online court records show 33-year-old Bailey Linn Smith entered a guilty plea this (Friday) morning to Class-C Felony charges of Theft in the 1st Degree, and Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card Over $10,000. Her sentencing date had not been set as of the latest information.
Smith’s trial on the mentioned charges, as well as Felony charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct and Fraudulent Practice in the 1st Degree, was continued six-times before today (Friday). Her last jury trial was set to have begun on July 28th.
Smith resigned from the Chamber September 15, 2025. She turned herself in to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office on October 8th and was released on bond. According to a criminal complaint, between January 2020 and August 2025, Smith allegedly made 761 personal transactions with Chamber funds totaling $26,913.22, of which $6,632.38 was admitted by Smith. She was charged with Theft in the First Degree for allegedly misappropriating over $10,000.
The Criminal Complaint said Smith used Chamber-issued credit cards for approximately $25,065.71 in personal expenses, with $6,632.38 acknowledged by her in a letter to the Chamber Board. She was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card over $10,000.
