SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — The former state employee who stole over $1 million from the South Dakota Department of Social Services was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday.
A Hughes County jury found Lonna Carroll guilty on two charges of aggravated grand theft and grand theft for stealing more than $1.7 million from DSS in April.
KELOLAND’s Bob Mercer was in the courtroom Tuesday for the sentencing. He said Circuit Judge Christina Klinger sentenced Carroll to 10 years in prison with five years suspended and credit for 349 days in jail on aggravated grand theft and three years with one year suspended on Grand theft, plus all costs and $1,777,665.73 restitution to DSS.
Carroll used her position at DSS to steal more than $1.7 million from the bank accounts of children under the department’s care from 2010 until her retirement in March 2023. On more than 210 occasions, Carroll allegedly then immediately withdrew the money put into those accounts at American Bank and Trust in Pierre and spent the cash.
Carroll had an Iowa address upon her retirement.
This is a developing story. KELOLAND News will have more updates online and on-air.
