{KXLG – South Dakota} Former South Dakota Department of Social Services (DSS) employee Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, was found guilty on Thursday of stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the department’s Child Protection Services.
A Hughes County Jury convicted Carroll of two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft following a trial that began on Tuesday, April 1.
“This was a violation of trust by someone who had access to public funds,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley, who served as co-prosecutor in the trial. “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.”
Carroll faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine for Count One, and a maximum of 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine for Count Two.
The investigation into the theft was conducted by the state Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Legislative Audit. The Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.
A sentencing date for Carroll has not yet been scheduled.
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