Former state of South Dakota employee pleads guilty to crime

PIERRE A former state Department of Revenue employee has been sentenced on a misdemeanor count of misprison of a felony.

Danielle Degenstein, 52, of Pierre entered her guilty plea Tuesday in Hughes County Circuit Court. She was granted a suspended imposition of sentence with one year in jail suspended, one year of unsupervised probation, a $500 fine, and court costs.

This defendant violated the publics trust by not reporting a co-workers criminal activity, said Attorney General Marty Jackley. I will continue to lead the effort to protect our taxpayers and maintain transparency in bringing forth violations of the publics trust.

Degenstein was investigated for knowing, and not reporting, that a Department of Revenue employee forged a power of attorney document for that employees financial gain.

The case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. The Attorney Generals Office prosecuted the case.