PIERRE, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A former Department of Social Services employee accused of stealing nearly $1.8 million from the state is making her first court appearance Thursday in Hughes County.

Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, is charged with two felony counts of Aggravated Grand Theft. She was arrested last week in Iowa and extradited to South Dakota.

Carroll is accused of taking the money while serving as an employee for the department’s Child Protection Services program, where she had control of the funds. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Carroll essentially acted as her own supervisor, both requesting and approving funds for CPS cases.

Jackley stated that it’s very unlikely that the $1.78 million stolen will be recovered.

According to state lawmakers, the South Dakota Government Operations and Audit Committee is likely to address the $1.78 million stolen from the Department of Social Services in its upcoming meetings.

Carroll’s initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. CST. Dakota News Now will be in Pierre covering the case.

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.

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South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley joins other Attorney Generals in opposing a Biden Administration proposal to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act.

Jackley is one of 11 Attorneys General to submit a public letter opposing the proposal. If approved, the classification would be a step towards fully legalizing marijuana at the federal level.

“South Dakota voters have legalized medical marijuana and will have the opportunity this election to determine whether to legalize recreational marijuana in our state,” said Jackley. “The Biden Administration’s attempt to reschedule marijuana right before the election without proper authority will be harmful to states like South Dakota that have not fully legalized both medical and recreational marijuana.”

Jackley said if the reclassification occurs, it will not impact the way local authorities enforce the state law.

Other Attorneys General who are part of the public comment letter are from: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska and South Carolina.

The letter can be found here:

VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) — A former South Dakota football player and his family have given Coyotes Athletics the largest private donation in program history, athletic director Jon Schemmel announced Wednesday (July 24, 2024).

Scott Jones and his wife, Lisa, donated approximately $5 million, Schemmel told The Associated Press through a spokesman.

The football program is the primary beneficiary. The gift will endow the offensive coordinator position and increase the team’s overall budget. The Coyotes enter 2024 off their best season in the Football Championship Subdivision, going 10-3 and reaching the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Scott Jones played quarterback for the then-Division II Coyotes from 1983-87 and led the team to a 21-6 record as the starter his last two seasons. Jones was inducted into the USD Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.

“Lisa, our four children, and I are so excited for this gift to USD and the Coyote football program! The enthusiasm and love we have for our Coyote brothers, sisters, staff, faculty, and leadership is beyond measure,” Jones said. “We look forward to continuing the commitment to excellence that the university and football program have ingrained in us.”

Portions of the donation will be directed to the next phase of DakotaDome renovations, general athletic scholarships and other support for the athletic department. The school is in its second decade competing in Division I.

Scott Jones graduated with a chemistry degree in 1988 and is president of Maguire Iron in Sioux Falls. His wife, Lisa, earned her degree in Arts & Sciences in 1995.