The former top cop of a northwest Iowa town has found himself on the wrong side of the law and may soon be on the other side of a barred door. The former Merrill police chief will be sentenced January 10th for accepting a bribe. A Plymouth County District Court grand jury in October of last year indicted 37-year-old Warren Palmer. He was accused of using his authority to coerce a woman to submit to a sex act during a traffic stop. Palmer was charged with accepting a bribe, sexual abuse and extortion. He pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe yesterday and could be sentenced to up to ten years in prison and a thousand-dollar fine. He resigned as police chief a year ago at the request of city officials.