South Dakota Employee Charged with Stealing $1.8M

Lonna Carroll, a former South Dakota Social Services employee, has been charged with grand theft for allegedly embezzling nearly $1.8 million from the state's Child Protective Services between 2010 and 2023. Carroll, 68, from Algona, Iowa, awaits extradition to South Dakota and faces two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft with a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for each count. The theft was discovered by the Department of Social Services, leading to an investigation by the state Division of Criminal Investigation and Department of Legislative Audit. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley emphasized the importance of safeguarding public funds and thanked Governor Noem and the department for their cooperation in the case.