A forensic scientist whose manipulation of DNA evidence has thrown more than 1,000 Colorado criminal cases into doubt pleaded guilty Tuesday to four felonies, closing a prosecution that has forced courts across the state to re-examine convictions based on her work.

Yvonne “Missy” Woods was charged with 102 felonies in January 2025 and pleaded not guilty to all counts in February. A trial had been scheduled for this fall before her guilty plea on Tuesday.

Woods entered guilty pleas to cyber-crime, perjury in the first degree, attempt to influence a public servant, and forgery. Prosecutors dismissed the remaining 100 counts under the plea agreement. She now faces a mandatory prison sentence of between eight and 16 years, with sentencing scheduled for September 8, 2026.

Prosecutors tied the charges to more than 50 instances of criminal conduct between 2008 and 2023 at two CBI laboratories in Jefferson County. Investigators found that she manipulated data in more than 30 sexual assault cases, submitting reports to law enforcement agencies indicating no male DNA had been detected when samples in fact required further analysis. Twenty-four agencies across Colorado received the fraudulent reports.

District Attorney Alexis King said the plea agreement ensures Woods will serve prison time rather than receive a community-based sentence, noting that Colorado law would otherwise have made her eligible for probation.

In a separate statement, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said Woods’ conduct represented intentional criminal fraud carried out by a single individual and was not reflective of the agency’s institutional practices or mission. “This moment is not about moving on, for CBI it’s about moving forward,” said CBI Director Armando Saldate. “Today’s guilty plea is an important moment of accountability.”

Woods remains free on bond until sentencing.