Natalia Chi
57-year-old male and Illinois department lottery Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raul announced that an employee was facing multiple felony charges for stealing and cashing out winning lottery tickets.
Additionally, a 24-year-old Springfield man has been charged with redeeming stolen tickets.
Dean F. Derrick faces the following charges:
- 4 counts of theft of government property between $500 and $10,000, Class 2 felony
- 7 counts of obstruction of justice, third class felony
- 3 counts of wire fraud, class 3 felony
Derrick’s bond is set at $15,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on March 30.
Derrick allegedly stole an instant lottery book from a retailer while working as a lottery salesperson. According to Raoul’s office, Derrick removed certain books and later took them to another retailer to redeem the winnings.
Frazier R. Mack, 24, was charged with two counts of theft of government property ranging from $500 to $10,000. Mack’s bond is also set at $15,000 and he is due to appear in court on March 30.
Derrick allegedly gave Mack a number of stolen winning tickets. Mac redeemed them for cash.
Raoul’s office said the action occurred in March and April of last year.
“The Lottery Authority worked closely with the authorities as soon as they became aware of the issue. Our dedicated sales representatives are tasked with protecting the instant tickets in their possession and take their job very seriously. Allegations of this type are extremely rare and we are working closely with the agency to investigate and prosecute such matters,” the Illinois Lottery Department said in a statement.
No further information is available at this time.
