POLK COUNTY, Iowa — The sentencing for the former President and CEO of the Ankeny Area Chamber of Commerce has been delayed.

Melisa Cox, 47, who had initially maintained her innocence, pleaded guilty in late April to stealing from the organization. She had been facing numerous felony charges, but in a plea agreement with the state, she admitted to four, including Theft in the 1st Degree, Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card, Money Laundering and Fraudulent Practices, in exchange for the rest to be dropped.

The Chamber said that Cox was terminated in November 2024 after an internal audit found financial irregularities. Detectives allegedly determined that over nearly three years, Cox had stolen more than $250,000 from the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce.

As a parameter of her plea agreement, Cox also agreed to pay restitution on all charges and not seek a deferred judgment, which means the conviction will remain on her record, according to the Polk County Attorney’s Office.

Following a tearful admission during her April 30 Plea Hearing, a pre-sentence investigation was conducted, which was expected to include Cox discussing her crimes with investigators from the Department of Correctional Services.

Her Sentencing Hearing was originally scheduled for Monday, June 16. However, court documents show the prosecuting attorney is out of the country, and that the sentencing is contested and will involve at least one victim impact statement. The sentencing date was pushed to July 2.

During the hearing, the findings of the pre-sentence investigation will be presented, and both sides will argue for their desired punishment.

The judge could sentence her up to 35 years in prison if the charges run consecutively, or up to ten years if concurrently. She could also be given a suspended sentence, where she would not serve time behind bars.

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