Man previously under fire for claiming welfare benefits after lottery win
BAY CITY, Mich. — A Williams Township, Michigan, man who had nearly $1 million in cash two years ago and is now destitute and charged with four firearm-related felonies is set to accept a plea deal in Bay County Circuit Court.
Leroy N. Fick, 60, is scheduled to make his plea before Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Schmidt at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 4. Court records show that prosecutors have offered to dismiss two counts of felony firearm if Fick pleads guilty or no contest to single counts of felon in possession of a firearm and larceny of a firearm.
Both of the charges Fick could plead to are felonies punishable by up to five years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed not to seek an enhanced sentencing for Fick as a habitual offender, court records show.
The charges stem from Fick allegedly stealing several rifles and shotguns from his mother's Williams Township home, then hocking them at an area pawn shop. Fick's brother reported the theft in March and Fick was arraigned in June.
When Bay County Sheriff's deputies questioned Fick about the crime, he told them stole then sold the guns for cash to keep his electricity on, police reports show.
Fick in June 2010 won close to $2 million in the state's Make Me Rich! lottery. He took a lump, post-tax sum of $998,570 and appeared alongside adult son Jeffery Fick on the TLC show "Lottery Changed My Life."
The elder Fick later found himself in the center of controversy when he admitted he continued using his Bridge Card after winning the lottery.
Fick's actions inspired legislators to fashion a new law requiring the Michigan Lottery to notify the Department of Human Services of the name and other information of a winner of a prize of $1,000 or more. DHS is then to apply an asset test when determining eligibility of an individual for food aid, with gambling winnings factored into the asset total.
Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bills into law in April.
In January, Fick pleaded guilty to a felony charge of illegal possession of a prescription painkiller in Isabella County Circuit Court, for which he served 45 days in jail. Upon his release, he appeared in Bay County District Court and pleaded guilty to three counts of illegal possession of fireworks, three counts of operating a motor vehicle on a restricted license and single counts of operating a motor vehicle on a restricted license, second offense, allowing an unlicensed person to drive and driving 97 mph in a 55 mph zone.
Judge Dawn A. Klida gave Fick credit for time served, but also placed him on probation.
By the time he pleaded in Isabella County, Fick had squandered his fortune and was living what his attorney John Wilson described as a hand-to-mouth existence. Fick spent his winnings on building a new house on the site of his previous home, a brand new Chevrolet Camaro, large amounts of fireworks and ill-advised investments recommended to him by his relatives and friends, Wilson said.
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He can team up with Amanda Clayton, they can have a weekly show called
" HOW TO SCAM THE SYSTEM"
This close to "retirement" age and no financial plannning. He could have been set with careful budgeting and wise investing. Never let friends and family do your financial investing.
Stealing from his own mother!How low can you get?Its too darn late to abort this waste of life.
With all the thousands of welfare recipients, turned lottery winners, turned welfare cheats.....they should start their own welfare scamming club!
What goes around ,comes around. You cheat you'll get cheated.What goes up will come back down.Bad boys ,bad boys what ya gonna do when they come for you..
I think they should pass a bill / law ,......if your not current on any of your bills , and you win big ,.........you have to become current to collect your prize by setting aside enough to cover your delinquency.And all government and state programs your on are terminated . Then go blow it.
Where's his loser son now that the money is gone. Can't even help his dad pay the electric.
I would say, "Don't let unlicensed friend or family handle your investments. "
What were all of the fireworks for? He must be a little on the slow side.
This 'gentleman' is a poster-child for why the Lotteries should WANT anonymous winners. The failures, while making good copy, really show the down side of a lottery win... and make the 'winning' part look WAY not so glamorous.
I was thinking the same thing. He spent thousands on illegal fireworks, and received numerous fines for this juvenile behavior.
Must be some obsession, or just hasn't moved on from his teen fantasy's. Or as you say just a little slow.
This guy looks familiar... if I'm not mistaken, he was on "Lottery Changed My Life", as a "millionaire bachelor". I seem to remember his fast talking slick "Mr. hip hop" son who said such stupidities as "Who can you trust? ME! That's who; me!" to his dad when on camera...
YIKES!
That was him! Of course his drug addict son is nowhere to be found, now the dad is in the poor house.