South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced that Lonna Carroll, a former employee of the state Department of Social Services (DSS), was found guilty on Thursday of stealing an estimated $1.8 million from Child Protection Services.
Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, was convicted by a Hughes County jury on two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. The maximum penalty for the first count is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, while the second count carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.
Attorney General Jackley, who co-prosecuted the case, emphasized the betrayal of public trust. “She stole money from the accounts of children who were in the custody of DSS, and now she is being held accountable for her actions,” Jackley said.
The investigation was led by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Legislative Audit Division. The Attorney General’s Office handled the prosecution.
A sentencing date for Carroll has not yet been scheduled.
By: DNU staff