Pennsylvania judge and friends win $291M Powerball jackpot

Mar 6, 2016, 8:50 am (50 comments)

Powerball

Bought ticket while vacationing in Florida

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — After a long ride back from his annual Florida vacation, Senior District Judge James Stocklas had enjoyed the sun and fun, but was anxious to get back home to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

After parking his RV in the driveway, Stocklas caught a few hours sleep and awoke Friday morning with plans to visit his favorite Bethlehem diner. While at breakfast, he pulled out his cellphone to see if anyone had won massive Powerball lottery.

His jaw dropped when he saw there was only one winning ticket that had been purchased in the same Florida town where Stocklas bought ice and $10 in tickets to share with two friends.

When Stocklas checked the numbers, he couldn't stop shaking. He had a match. He and his friends had just won more than $291 million.

"I was yelling and I bought everyone in the diner breakfast," Stocklas said. "When I found out, I was shaking for an hour straight."

The other winners are a local woman, whom Stocklas declined to identify, and Barry Bartakovits, who owns a pool business in Hellertown.

"This is like an amazing roller coaster ride," said Stocklas, who was back in Florida on Friday night.

After taxes, Stocklas said the three friends will have more than $40 million each.

The friends decided they had to immediately get to Florida to lay claim to their winnings and Stocklas called to rent a private jet.

When he found out the cost was $3,000 an hour — a total bill expected to ring up around $20,000 — Stocklas made his first big lottery purchase.

The friends bought several bottles of chilled champagne to share on the way down.

Much of the day was a blur of signing papers and watching their winnings winnow down with taxes, and on Friday night, Stocklas and the friends found themselves at an Applebee's restaurant for a quick bite before flying back home.

"I know, Applebee's," Stocklas chuckled. "We are really going top shelf, right?"

Stocklas serves as a senior district judge in Northampton County and said that won't change. He's already told court administrators he'll return to the courtroom April 1, no April Fool's joke.

"Oh, I'll be back on the bench," Stocklas said. "There's no doubt."

He said he'll use the money to help his family and set up several trust funds. He would also like to donate some of the money to charities.

He never expected a routine stop at a convenience store for some ice and lottery tickets could change his and his friends' lives forever.

"My phone has been ringing off the hook," Stocklas said. "I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight."

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Thanks to Raven62 and sandia for the tip.

Morning Call

Comments

BuyLow's avatarBuyLow

Love the fact he chartered a private jet and then they ate at Applebees lol!!

 

Congrats to them!!

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

I had to laugh. A guy from PA winning PB in Florida!

You just never know when or where, or who.

I wonder how long til negative nellies bemoan that his name is out and he chartered a jet, yada, yada, yada. LOL.

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

He could probably already afford to fly by chartered jet given that he owns a RV and is a Senior District Judge.  I never bemoan how other people spend their money but good luck on that plan to remain on the bench and in the community...he will be hounded to no end for handouts.

 

Personally, I would fly commercial flight to nearest city to lottery headquarters and then rent my own vehicle.  I figure commercial flying is the safest way to go and driving myself is definitely safer than relying on a driver.  I would have no problem with my name being published but I would not allow myself to be photographed without something covering up my body.  Why I just might show up to claim my prize wearing a burqa...and I am a man!

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Did they split it evenly?

schmuckatelly's avatarschmuckatelly

I love the $7.00 check, lol!

duckman's avatarduckman

Another Quick Pick wins big. No system - just luck!

LottoNXN

I agree old school papa

Redd55

I had originally read that the winner was a one line quick pick. Looks like the judge bought $10 worth of tickets or 5 lines.  I think I would have just booked first class.

music*'s avatarmusic*

 Congratulations to Senior District Judge in North Hampton County James Stocklas!!!

James, Barry Bartakovits and an unidentified woman wasted no time in getting to Tallahasee, Florida. No lawyers, no guards, no CPA, no CFP, no media specialist, no insurance agent.

 I see how being a Judge brings you closer to Law Enforcement. Help is a phone call away.

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

Quote: Originally posted by duckman on Mar 6, 2016

Another Quick Pick wins big. No system - just luck!

Yes, QP's are lucky. I need some luck now too.

Thegreenpirate

This seems like a inside Fraud to me!!! No wonder why Cynthia O Connell got canned I'm not playing anymore they cheating and the Michael Tipton case blew the cover off the whole MUSL fraud operation fake winners!! #rigged

xstreamgaming15's avatarxstreamgaming15

It's nice that a group of friends won the $292 Mil Powerball Jackpot then just a sole individual. A little over forty million after taxes everyone gets a big piece of the pie.

sweetie7398's avatarsweetie7398

Congratulations!!!

Bleudog101

Quote: Originally posted by xstreamgaming15 on Mar 6, 2016

It's nice that a group of friends won the $292 Mil Powerball Jackpot then just a sole individual. A little over forty million after taxes everyone gets a big piece of the pie.

Is Florida like Kentucky and Indiana in the fact that the latter two states will cut separate checks?  This relieves the purchaser of a huge tax burden, everyone pays their own taxes thanks to these lotteries.

GatorShea

Aren't they brothers?  I am also not sure if they are going to "split" the jackpot as it seems like both of them were playing separately.  Who knows?!  Not my money so I'm not going to worry about it.

Thegreenpirate

Who Da hell they think they talking too? This is fake that's why the universe allowed Michael Tipton case to happen. Cynthia o Connell and the head Musl guy got canned after 36 years. These guys must have security clearances to act as winners. They so full of $hyt who they think they playing with? It's a pattern with them Florida wins.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Ahhhhh

The first negative nellie to pop up.

Ok. You think it's fake. We get it.

ohiopick3's avatarohiopick3

This Judge got his "unanimous decision" on this verdict! Way to go for him! Have fun with the winnings!

VenomV12

This is the best photo ever, the $7 big check is priceless. LOL

Groppo's avatarGroppo

Quote: Originally posted by duckman on Mar 6, 2016

Another Quick Pick wins big. No system - just luck!

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


Saylorgirl's avatarSaylorgirl

Quote: Originally posted by Groppo on Mar 6, 2016

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


Why isn't it fair??  I love it!  Congratulations to the Judge and friends.  Congratulations to the brother who won $7.

chopperman8238

Renting the JET HELLLL YEAAAHHH

 

Its all good, spend that $$$$$

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Maybe there's something to that theory of buying your tickets in one of the states that sell the most winners, it seems to have worked for the judge. Wink

Taurus$'s avatarTaurus$

Hello fellow posters long time no post. You know i have been looking at the posts from time to time and i was wondering if anybody noticed that the winners were from Cali and florida for the last JP drawing. When i saw that the first thing, i said oh my gosh here we go again! There are going to be some folks ranting like nuts over the fact that the big states won big again. And when nobody said nothing over the last few days, I thought Hmmm, some people must be got tired hollerin about the same ol same ol LOL But anyway congrats to the Pennsylvanians.Thumbs Up

Taurus$'s avatarTaurus$

RJ I am sure of that theory i bet cha it has worked for lots of folks out there it's why u hear of people crossing state lines to play. I don't always play in MDWink

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Do you really think that location has a thing to do with winning the lottery?

Your odds of winning are the same no matter where you buy your ticket(s).

Whether you get 1 or 100, you have the same lousy chance to win 292 mil to 1.

Congrats to the PA Judge and his lotto winning group. Party

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by Groppo on Mar 6, 2016

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


I guess it all depends on your point of view: If you asked the Judge: He'd say it was fair.

fja's avatarfja

Jackpot wins 2007-Present =  (but I could be wrong)

2007-2016 Hits

Pop

5+1

5+1

name

Rank

Hits

$$$

New York

3

29.0

$3,106,000,000

California

1

26.3

$3,756,833,333

New Jersey

11

12.9

$1,926,433,330

Michigan

9

12.5

$1,399,000,000

Florida

4

11.8

$2,508,500,000

Georgia

8

10.0

$1,311,000,000

Ohio

7

9.8

$1,089,500,000

Texas

2

8.6

$823,500,000

Pennsylvania

6

8.5

$962,500,000

Missouri

18

7.5

$1,273,750,000

Maryland

19

6.8

$882,170,000

Illinois

5

6.8

$1,045,170,000

Virginia

12

5.8

$828,500,000

Indiana

16

5.5

$878,500,000

Louisiana

25

4.3

$244,666,666

Tennessee

17

4.0

$904,333,334

South Carolina

24

4.0

$709,000,000

Connecticut

29

4.0

$354,200,000

Massachusetts

14

4.0

$198,500,000

North Carolina

10

3.8

$482,500,000

Arizona

15

3.5

$591,750,000

Kentucky

26

3.5

$234,500,000

Rhode Island

43

3.0

$641,000,000

Oklahoma

28

3.0

$222,800,000

Wisconsin

20

3.0

$100,000,000

Minnesota

21

2.3

$558,466,665

Iowa

30

2.0

$440,000,000

West Virginia

38

2.0

$355,000,000

New Mexico

36

2.0

$270,000,000

Colorado

22

2.0

$110,000,000

Delaware

45

1.8

$153,166,667

Washington

13

1.5

$280,000,000

Puerto Rico

N/A

1.3

$238,000,000

Kansas

33

1.3

$314,670,000

South Dakota

46

1.0

$232,000,000

Oregon

27

1.0

$183,000,000

Washington DC

49

1.0

$143,000,000

New Hampshire

42

1.0

$68,000,000

Arkansas

32

1.0

$25,000,000

Idaho

39

0.5

$190,000,000

Nebraska

39

0.5

$61,000,000

Montana

44

0.5

$48,500,000

Maine

41

0.0

$0

North Dakota

48

0.0

$0

US Virgin Island

N/A

0.0

$0

Vermont

50

0.0

$0

Wyoming

51

0.0

$0

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by Groppo on Mar 6, 2016

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


Well, maybe you should get a grip. Yes, he is well to do, probably lives comfortably, but his salary as a judge would not be in the millions.

I'm happy for the guy. It shows anyone can win. I think it's funny that a guy on a fishing trip or whatever from PA wins Powerball in FL.

WinWinChicDin

judge- Worked Hard For It

Lottery winner- bought ticket 

Envy is a horrible thing.GROPPO  Your words are very spiteful, and more revealing of your character than you know.

It's a game for crying out loud....just a game.

we are all playing with the hope of winning. The last I checked there were no income/lifestyle/occupation restrictions to qualify as a deserving winner. 

 

Congrats to my fellow Keystoner!!

 

I hope I am next.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Hurray!Congratulations Judge James Stocklas and friends on your jackpot winThumbs Up and brother on th $7.00 win Hurray!

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

"I had to laugh. A guy from PA winning PB in Florida!"

There's some real irony in that. Neither state has an income tax on their lottery, but since he's a PA resident and won in FL he'll be paying PA income tax on his FL winnings.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Will they owe PA State Income Tax?

Taurus$'s avatarTaurus$

Quote: Originally posted by fja on Mar 7, 2016

Jackpot wins 2007-Present =  (but I could be wrong)

2007-2016 Hits

Pop

5+1

5+1

name

Rank

Hits

$$$

New York

3

29.0

$3,106,000,000

California

1

26.3

$3,756,833,333

New Jersey

11

12.9

$1,926,433,330

Michigan

9

12.5

$1,399,000,000

Florida

4

11.8

$2,508,500,000

Georgia

8

10.0

$1,311,000,000

Ohio

7

9.8

$1,089,500,000

Texas

2

8.6

$823,500,000

Pennsylvania

6

8.5

$962,500,000

Missouri

18

7.5

$1,273,750,000

Maryland

19

6.8

$882,170,000

Illinois

5

6.8

$1,045,170,000

Virginia

12

5.8

$828,500,000

Indiana

16

5.5

$878,500,000

Louisiana

25

4.3

$244,666,666

Tennessee

17

4.0

$904,333,334

South Carolina

24

4.0

$709,000,000

Connecticut

29

4.0

$354,200,000

Massachusetts

14

4.0

$198,500,000

North Carolina

10

3.8

$482,500,000

Arizona

15

3.5

$591,750,000

Kentucky

26

3.5

$234,500,000

Rhode Island

43

3.0

$641,000,000

Oklahoma

28

3.0

$222,800,000

Wisconsin

20

3.0

$100,000,000

Minnesota

21

2.3

$558,466,665

Iowa

30

2.0

$440,000,000

West Virginia

38

2.0

$355,000,000

New Mexico

36

2.0

$270,000,000

Colorado

22

2.0

$110,000,000

Delaware

45

1.8

$153,166,667

Washington

13

1.5

$280,000,000

Puerto Rico

N/A

1.3

$238,000,000

Kansas

33

1.3

$314,670,000

South Dakota

46

1.0

$232,000,000

Oregon

27

1.0

$183,000,000

Washington DC

49

1.0

$143,000,000

New Hampshire

42

1.0

$68,000,000

Arkansas

32

1.0

$25,000,000

Idaho

39

0.5

$190,000,000

Nebraska

39

0.5

$61,000,000

Montana

44

0.5

$48,500,000

Maine

41

0.0

$0

North Dakota

48

0.0

$0

US Virgin Island

N/A

0.0

$0

Vermont

50

0.0

$0

Wyoming

51

0.0

$0

No I don't think you are wrong. Those stats seem to be about right. Thanks for that info.

ohiopick3's avatarohiopick3

Quote: Originally posted by Groppo on Mar 6, 2016

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


It is all "fair". Anyone of age 18 and older in the USA can buy a lottery ticket nowadays from almost anywhere. On the Internet, local state stores, etc.

What's "not fair" is the darn thing didn't roll to a billion plus this time. Thud

WinWinChicDin

Quote: Originally posted by ohiopick3 on Mar 7, 2016

It is all "fair". Anyone of age 18 and older in the USA can buy a lottery ticket nowadays from almost anywhere. On the Internet, local state stores, etc.

What's "not fair" is the darn thing didn't roll to a billion plus this time. Thud

Amen...

I was waiting for the roll to a billion plusBanana

larry3100's avatarlarry3100

The Powerball game is not rigged. Anyone could have won. This is the first time that I have heard of a judge winning big in a lottery game. " The rich get richer and the poor get poorer " I was hoping too that the Powerball game would reach the billion dollar mark but unfortunately it didn't.

OldSchoolPa's avatarOldSchoolPa

Now if President Obama or HRC win a PB or MM jackpot, I would call for an investigation!

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by OldSchoolPa on Mar 7, 2016

Now if President Obama or HRC win a PB or MM jackpot, I would call for an investigation!

Will you call for an investigation if Rove and the Koch brothers split the jackpot?

RL-RANDOMLOGIC

I know a few Judges personally and they are salt of the earth type people.  I would bet the farm

that we will not be hearing that he died of a drug overdose or seeing him on a episode of how the

lottery ruined my life.  I would also say that the winnings will be around for a long time even after

his death. 

RL

CARBOB

Quote: Originally posted by RL-RANDOMLOGIC on Mar 8, 2016

I know a few Judges personally and they are salt of the earth type people.  I would bet the farm

that we will not be hearing that he died of a drug overdose or seeing him on a episode of how the

lottery ruined my life.  I would also say that the winnings will be around for a long time even after

his death. 

RL

RL,

I agree. If he were from Chicago, a different story.

Redd55

Disappointed that he didnt buy one ticket/one line and won.

RL-RANDOMLOGIC

Bob

LOL, I would not include the average lawyer in the list either.

RL

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by Groppo on Mar 6, 2016

Isn't this the doggonedest news you've ever heard?

A judge of all people. Somebody who has all the money he could ever use wins the doggone jackpot.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

How do you all see this?


Someone is feeling the Bern LOL

Jester

damtachoa

He lives in Pen but he bought lottery ticket in Florida because he's on vacation. Yeah right!!! Ten of thousands people was getting online for 4, 5 hours just to bought PB (1.5 Billion) tickets at border of Nevada and California, but no one won a piece of jackpot. However, this guy is really that lucky? Give me a break. Where the F is FBI? This seems like inside Mole to me.

LouieTheCat

F**k this guy.  He's already rich.  Someone else deserves this money.  Yeah, I'm sure this d***head will give the money to charity or help those less fortunate, right?

Saylorgirl's avatarSaylorgirl

Quote: Originally posted by LouieTheCat on Mar 9, 2016

F**k this guy.  He's already rich.  Someone else deserves this money.  Yeah, I'm sure this d***head will give the money to charity or help those less fortunate, right?

There are no lottery rules that say you must be poor to play the lottery!  And he can do whatever he wants with his money!!

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Ok,

Two more whiners.

So what how much money he has. He paid for his tickets, he won.

If a person buys a ticket, they deserve a chance to win.

Thegreenpirate

Hello,

 It feels great to know that there is another intelligent person on this thread that can see through all the fake rainbows and bunny rabbits.This screams fraud to me period. I'm glad you can see it too. This is why I think Charles Strutt (who worked for the multi-state lottery for 36 years was removed from Musl(Multi-State-Lottey) Recently. I bet he knew that Michael Tipton had rigged many jackpots and it probably was a few people who was in on it and then they got caught up and got caught.

This to me is just like the Bernie Madoff Case.We all know there were other folks who profitted with Bernie but Bernie was the Fall-Guy. Michael Tipton was the fall-guy but all them jackpots been rigged through the years but they cannot reveal that directly because that will compromise the future profits for the games. Michael Tipton was the head of security and they always know what the winning numbers are going to be before the lottery is even drawn. It's a <snip> shame how nobody else sees this they think we just saying its fraud because we didn't win which is rubbish. It's very sad!!! By the way all this information can be researched and you can see for yourselves. The person sounded so stupid under my post talking about there goes the first negative nellie. I feel sorry for that persons ignorant soul.

 

(Rant-Complete)

This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by Thegreenpirate on Mar 10, 2016

Hello,

 It feels great to know that there is another intelligent person on this thread that can see through all the fake rainbows and bunny rabbits.This screams fraud to me period. I'm glad you can see it too. This is why I think Charles Strutt (who worked for the multi-state lottery for 36 years was removed from Musl(Multi-State-Lottey) Recently. I bet he knew that Michael Tipton had rigged many jackpots and it probably was a few people who was in on it and then they got caught up and got caught.

This to me is just like the Bernie Madoff Case.We all know there were other folks who profitted with Bernie but Bernie was the Fall-Guy. Michael Tipton was the fall-guy but all them jackpots been rigged through the years but they cannot reveal that directly because that will compromise the future profits for the games. Michael Tipton was the head of security and they always know what the winning numbers are going to be before the lottery is even drawn. It's a <snip> shame how nobody else sees this they think we just saying its fraud because we didn't win which is rubbish. It's very sad!!! By the way all this information can be researched and you can see for yourselves. The person sounded so stupid under my post talking about there goes the first negative nellie. I feel sorry for that persons ignorant soul.

 

(Rant-Complete)

This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam.

Geez pirate, don't feel sorry. I thought that little rant was funny!

Tipton was the guilty one. Strutt was the fall guy.

A year ago I drove up to Ohio for a funeral. While I was up there, I bought PB tix for myself. So, by your thinking, if I had won, it would have been fraud. No, I'm not a judge, but dang, so what. All sorts of people buy lottery tickets.

Over 292 million combinations in that game. You really think they are going to sift through every ticket that was sold and say "hey, that ticket was sold to a judge from Pennsylvania, we'll let him win!" LOL. PB, mind you, is not an RNG game.

Anyway, thanks for the laugh.

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