Two former employees of an Exxon store in Gordonsville, Virginia have been indicted on charges of embezzling $14,000 in Virginia lottery tickets.
An Orange County grand jury on Monday indicted Jessica Denise Adams and Tamirria Burke on one charge each of felony embezzlement, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
A problem was discovered in late October when brothers Bob and David Brockman, who run Brockman Oil Co. in Orange, decided to stop selling Virginia Lottery tickets at the Gordonsville service station, which they leased.
A lottery representative came to the station to close out its account and noticed "huge amounts" of wrongly activated tickets, according to David Brockman, leaving a noticeable gap in the stores account.
"That kind of let the cat out of the bag," Brockman said. A lottery investigator looked at the stores timesheets and centered his investigation on Burke and Adams, who had worked as the stores manager for about a year, Brockman added.
Orange County Commonwealths Attorney Diana H. Wheeler said discrepancies were found in a store lottery account, but declined to elaborate.
She said Adams and Burke have been working with investigators. "Theyve both been very cooperative," the prosecutor said.
Lottery spokeswoman Jill Vaughan declined to discuss the case and referred questions to Wheeler.
But Vaughan added: "We have a highly qualified security department here at the Virginia Lottery with investigators stationed throughout the state. We work closely with our retailers to investigate any issue."
Bob Brockman, who oversaw the store, declined to give details on the case. "Its in the hands of the lottery."
The store on Gordonsvilles central traffic circle has been closed since the end of January, David Brockman said. His companys lease was running out, and he and his brother decided it was too much trouble to hire a new staff for such a short amount of time.
Part of the building is rented by mechanics, and David Brockman said another party likely will buy out his lease in the next six months.
Charles Lutz, who works in the stations garage, knew Burke and Adams.
"I got along with the two women fine, and Im surprised," Lutz said. "I guess we know some mischievous things happened."
The two women face a hearing Monday in Orange County Circuit Court.
they should go to jail....