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PIERRE, SD (KELO.com) — A former employee of the Department of Social Services is accused of stealing nearly $1.8-million from South Dakota’s Child Protection Services program. Attorney General Marty Jackley announced aggravated Grand Theft charges against 68 year old Lonna Carroll Thursday morning. Carroll now lives in Algona, Iowa. She was arrested Wednesday and is awaiting extradition.
The Attorney General says the investigation shows the thefts beginning in 2010, and continuing through March of 2023, when Carroll left state government and moved to Iowa. She worked as a manager who had authority to approve funding requests within the agency. Once the checks were issued, Carroll is accused of intercepting the funds and depositing them into the bank they were intended to be deposited, and would later transfer them to her personal account. She allegedly did so hundreds of times during her employment. The embezzlement pattern wasn’t discovered until February of this year.
If she is convicted, Carroll could be sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison and fines of $80-thousand. Bond has been set at $50-thousand.
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