LARIMER COUNTY, Colo — A former DHS worker who said she met with multiple families but never did, pleaded guilty Monday to three counts.
Sandra Spraker was charged with 99 counts in Larimer County District Court. According to an arrest affidavit from the Larimer County Sheriff's Office, Spraker claimed she met with 10 families - but when contacted some of those families were not even aware that case about them existed.
She pleaded guilty Monday to three charges - attempt to influence a public servant, forgery of a public record, and official misconduct. In exchange for her plea, the other counts were dismissed.
Spraker was arrested last December.
She was hired by the Larimer County Department of Human Services (DHS) in April of 2022 and started working as a caseworker in October 2023 after completing her training.
According to the affidavit, about a year after she was hired, around March or April of 2023, her immediate supervisor noticed low performance issues with Spraker's work. The supervisor said she began working more closely with Spraker regarding case expectations and documentation.
As a result, she was placed on a "supervisory performance plan" and as part of that, families of concern under Spraker's caseload were contacted. In September 2023, Spraker's supervisor learned that some of them had never been in contact with any caseworker named "Sandra."
The supervisor reviewed Spraker's case notes and found that she had made entries about the families even though the families reported they had no contact of any kind with her, the affidavit says.
According to the document, the supervisor met in a video call with Spraker, who admitted she made the entries but had not seen the families. She did not provide any explanation about why the families were not contacted. As a result, Spraker was placed on leave.
The affidavit notes that Spraker lied about visits with 10 families and when contacted, some of them were unaware a case was open about them. Another family reported that they had moved to another state and said as far as they were concerned "there was no expected contact from CO DHS."
Spraker's supervisor said she was "particularly concerned" that Spraker had not followed up with this family because there was a "known serious history." Another worker who was reassigned the case told investigators she was "shocked" Spraker had no contact with them because she was aware of prior serious injuries.
Spraker is set to be sentenced on Nov. 5.