April 1, 2025, update: The prosecution called its first witnesses Tuesday (April 1, 2025) in the case of a former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee accused of stealing approximately $1.8 million. Lonna Carroll is charged with two counts of Aggravated Grand Theft for allegedly takin g the money between 2010 and 2023. The prosecution’s questions focused around establishing a timeline for when the missing money was discovered, as well as policies and procedures used by DSS in regard to financial accounts established for children who are in the care of Child Protection Services. The first witnesses described the various levels of approval needed for employees to be able to access money from CPS accounts, as well as when and how the discrepancies were discovered. The last witnesses discussed how American Bank and Trust records and tracks account transactions, as well as providing a brief overview of some federal banking laws designed to help detect fraud. Carroll’s defense attorney filed what is essentially a standing objection to several hundred pages of financial documents presented by the prosecution saying the statute of limitations to prosecute Carroll had passed, so the State shouldn’t be allowed to prosecute Carroll at all. The defense’s case centers around its belief that if proper procedures for approving checks and reconciling accounts had been followed, the DSS financial division or state government auditors should have noticed the money was missing years earlier. He argued because correct protocol was not being followed, it enabled Carroll to continue committing fraud for roughly 13 years. The trial resumes Tuesday at 8:30am CT at the Hughes County Courthouse in Pierre. The maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. Carroll is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   April 1, 2025: Jury selection begins today (April 1, 2025) in the case of a former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee accused of stealing approximately $1.8 million. Lonna Carroll is charged with two counts of Aggravated Grand Theft for allegedly taking the money while working as a DSS employee from 2010-2023. Attorney General Marty Jackley, who is co-prosecuting the case, said the discrepancies first came to DSS’s attention in October 2023, within a week of the agency implementing a new record keeping system. He said the situation was brought to his office’s Division of Criminal Investigation in February 2024. Maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. The trial is scheduled to run through Friday. Jackley has previously said it’s highly unlikely any of the nearly $2-million will be recovered. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   March 3, 2025: A judge has denied the defense’s request to dismiss a grand jury indictment against a former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee accused of stealing approximately $1.8 million. Lonna Carroll is charged with two counts of Aggravated Grand Theft for allegedly taking the money while working as a DSS employee from 2010-2023. In Sixth Circuit Court in Fort Pierre Monday (March 3, 2025), Carroll’s attorney argued that if proper procedures for approving checks were being followed, DSS financial auditors or the state’s financial auditors should have noticed the money was missing years earlier. He argued because correct protocol was not being followed, it enabled Carroll to continue committing fraud for about 12 years. Attorney General Marty Jackley said the discrepancies first came to DSS’s attention in October 2023. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/08/030325-jackley1.mp3 Jackley said the situation was brought to his office’s Division of Criminal Investigation in February 2024. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/08/030325-jackley2.mp3 Jackley has previously said the financial discrepancy was discovered by DSS within a week of implementing a new record keeping system and that it’s highly unlikely any of the nearly $2-million will be recovered. Carroll was arrested in July 2024 in Algona, Iowa, where she had been living. She’s being held in the Hughes County Jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond. Maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   AUGUST 27, 2024: A former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee has pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the department’s Child Protection Services, where she had control of the funds. 68 year old Lonna Carroll of Algona, Iowa, entered the plea Tuesday (Aug. 27, 2024) in Hughes County Circuit Court. She is charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. The thefts occurred between 2010 and 2023. Attorney General Marty Jackley says the financial discrepancy was discovered by DSS in February 2024, within a week of implementing a new record keeping system. He says it’s highly unlikely any of the nearly $2-million will be recovered. Carroll’s trial has been scheduled for Dec. 4, 2024, in Pierre. She is being held in the Hughes County Jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond. Maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. The defendant is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   JULY 30, 2024: A former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft is scheduled for arraignment next month (Aug. 27, 2024, at 9am CT) in Pierre. Lonna Carroll is charged with stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from a Child Protection Services program. Attorney General Marty Jackley said the theft allegedly occurred while Carroll was working at a DSS office in Pierre between 2010 and 2023. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/073024-jackley1.mp3 Jackley outlined what happens next in the case against Carroll. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/073024-jackley2.mp3 Jackley said improvements need to be made to the paperwork process, but what those changes should be is not for him to decide. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/073024-jackley3.mp3 Jackley said the financial discrepancy was discovered by DSS in February 2024, within a week of implementing the new record keeping system. Carroll made her initial court appearance last week (July 25, 2024) in Pierre. The judge approved her request for a court appointed attorney and set Carroll’s bond at $50,000. Carroll is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   JULY 25, 2024: A judge has approved the court appointed attorney request from a 68 year old woman from Algona, Iowa, charged with stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds. Lonna Carroll made her initial court appearance Thursday afternoon (July 25, 2024) in Pierre on two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. Attorney General Marty Jackley said the financial discrepancy was discovered by the state Department of Social Services in February of this year while the agency was transitioning to a new record keeping system. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/072624-carroll1.mp3 Jackley says there are two counts because of a change in state law in July of 2013. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/072624-carroll2.mp3 Carroll is accused of taking the money from a Child Protection Services program while working at a DSS office in Pierre from 2010-2023. The amount of money stolen and the length of time over which it was taken has many people wondering why it took roughly 13 years for the discrepancy to be found. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/072624-carroll3.mp3 Jackley says he’s had conversations about the situation with Governor Kristi Noem, but he hasn’t spoken with DSS Secretary Matt Althoff. https://media-cdn.socastsrm.com/wordpress/wp-content/blogs.dir/2626/files/2024/07/072624-carroll4.mp3 Jackley says it’s highly unlikely any of the nearly $2 million will be recovered. Carroll is currently in custody in the Hughes County Jail in Pierre. Her bond has been set at $50,000. She is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   JULY 24, 2024: A 68 year old woman from Algona, Iowa, charged with stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from a Child Protection Services program will make her initial court appearance Thursday afternoon (July 25, 2024, at 1:15pm) in Hughes County Court in Pierre. Lonna Carroll is charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. She’s accused of taking the money while working as an employee of the state Department of Social Services from 2010-2023. The maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. Carroll was arrested July 17, 2024, in Iowa. She is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.   JULY 18, 2024: A 68 year old woman from Algona, Iowa, has been charged with stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the South Dakota state government agency that manages the Child Protection Services program. Attorney General Marty Jackley says former Department of Social Services employee Lonna Carroll is charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. She’s accused of taking the money while working as an employee of the state between 2010 and 2023. Jackley says the thefts were discovered by the Department of Social Services. The state Division of Criminal Investigation and Legislative Audit led the investigation. He says the maximum sentence for Count One is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for Count Two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. Carroll was arrested Wednesday (July 17, 2024) in Iowa and is awaiting extradition to South Dakota. Her bond has been set at $50,000. The date for Carroll’s initial court appearance in Hughes County Circuit Court in Pierre has not yet been scheduled. She is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution. ...read more read less