A former South Dakota Department of Social Services employee from Spearfish has been arraigned on four felony counts and one misdemeanor count of falsifying investigative reports while working for Child Protective Services.
56 year old Nova Collins was arraigned Tuesday (Jan. 6, 2026) in Lawrence County Circuit Court. The crimes are alleged to have occurred early last year (2025).
Collins is charged with:
- one felony count of Forgery,
- which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison;
- one felony count of Offer of Forged or Fraudulent Evidence,
- which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison;
- one felony count of Falsification of Evidence,
- which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison;
- one felony count of Offering False or Forged Instrument for Filing, Registering or Recording,
- which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison; and
- one misdemeanor count of Falsification of Public Records by a Public Officer or Employee,
- which carries a maximum sentence of one year in the county jail.
Collins’ next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 17. She has been released on a $500 bond.
The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office’s Public Integrity Program, which is part of the Division of Criminal Investigation.
Collins is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.
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