EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Felony theft charges have been filed against the employee of a Collinsville business who pocketed a winning $10,000 ticket from an office lottery pool.
Curtis B. Devore of Collinsville was charged Wednesday with taking possession of a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket purchased last month by a group of employees at Bethel-Eckert Enterprises Inc. — a grocery supplier for the military — and cashing in the ticket.
Devore, 28, basically stole from everyone who would've won the money, said Detective Sergeant Rich Wittenauer. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
While three employees came forward to police, Wittenauer said there were several others involved in the pool.
The numbers for the tickets were recorded on a computerized spreadsheet. After the lottery drawing, Devore altered the spreadsheet in an attempt to lead fellow employees to believe there were no winning tickets from the pool, Wittenauer said.
When questioned, Devore told police he had taken the ticket and cashed it, but had not yet spent any of the money, police said.
Devore, who has no listed home telephone number, was being held on Thursday morning on $100,000 bond.
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