Renee Strong Pleads Guilty to Four Forgery Charges in South Dakota

Renee Strong, a 55-year-old former employee of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, pleaded guilty to four felony forgery charges in Hughes County Circuit Court. The charges stem from her actions while performing contract work for the Department of Health, specifically for forging food service inspection reports. Strong admitted to two Class 6 felony counts of offering false or forged instruments for filing in a public office and two Class 5 felony counts of forgery. Each Class 6 felony carries a potential sentence of two years and a $4,000 fine, while each Class 5 felony can result in five years and a $10,000 fine. Strong's sentencing is scheduled for June 10, and the case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. This incident is part of a broader pattern of financial misconduct involving state employees in South Dakota.