Two Mississippi men are in custody after being accused of trying to claim a $100,000 lottery prize with a fake scratch-off lottery ticket.
Mississippi Lottery Corp. spokeswoman Meg Annison said the two individuals came to the lottery headquarters in Flowood Monday morning seeking to claim the prize.
Annison said lottery officials immediately determined the ticket had been altered. It appeared glue had been used.
Annison said the Lottery Corp. has measures in place to ensure a ticket is legitimate, including a bar code.
Sgt. Adam Nelson of the Flowood Police Department said about 9:20 a.m., Flowood police received a call from the Mississippi Lottery Corp. in reference to two adult males attempting to pass a fake lottery ticket.
Flowood officers arrived on scene moments later and took both subjects into custody. After speaking with lottery officials, officers learned that the suspects presented a $100,000 ticket that had been altered by gluing the winning numbers on the ticket that matched the prize. The ticket was signed and presented to the commission for payment.
Police arrested Odis Latham, 47, and Russell Sparks, 48, both of Columbus. They were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and uttering a counterfeit instrument over $1,000. Latham was also charged with false ID Information. Both were held Monday after without bond at the Rankin County Jail. Their initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
Mississippi's lottery kicked off Nov. 25 with scratch-off lottery tickets. Powerball and Mega Millions ticket sales will begin Jan. 30.
Not bad Mississippi, had the lottery for 6 weeks and now have your first 2 contestants for the idiot-criminal award.
Good for you
Here's your sign !!
People are desperate and will try anything. Sad really is.
CDanaT. These two players will be the first to be punished since MS Lottery began. They will be made examples of what not to do.
Here in California we have SLED. Security and Law Enforcement Division.
Only in America..
How much of a backwoods rube do you have to be to not know the barcode is everything? I'm glad some of the lottery profits go to edukashun.
the suspects presented a $100,000 ticket that had been altered by gluing the winning numbers on the ticket that matched the prize.
Probably get by trying to cash a $25 or less value ticket and maybe $100, but $100,000; what were these fools thinking? Even if they don't go to prison this time, they eventually will commit another brainless crime. It's inevitable.
Sounds like something you would do.
I couldn't have said it any better myself.
Something l would do?
Were we in kindergarten together, did l steal your lunch? Did l end up taking your prom date home?What is wrong with you Raven?
Silly
It's early, but this might end up being the funniest lottery news of 2020. I wonder how many times this happens all over the country and lottery officials don't bother calling the police because it's just so pathetic it's funny.
I'd wager these two were being belligerent about it, and that pissed off the official enough that he/she called the cops. But what if they had laughed it off when they got caught and pretended like it was a joke? There's a chance the official would only told them to beat it but not have called the cops.
hehehehehe, hilarious.
Because that wouldn't be obvious LOL!
they needed shirts that that say I m with stupid. WOW
You are arguing with an AI chat bot, lol.
I don't think Mississippi has anything on California when it comes to dumb criminals. You know ours can't even speak English.
Obsession: The state of being obsessed with someone or something.
After just reading this, I'm laughing so hard. This is funny, really, really funny. Lottery tickets have barcodes, not the numbers on the face of the ticket.
This says it all. https://youtu.be/CosD7h2703o
I seen tater once lol what a hoot ....the other guys should make dumb crook news
Only in Mississippi
Before Mississippi got the lottery these guys probably put a $100 bill in a copier machine, made copies, and then put the 100 on fives, tens and twenties on real bills.
"Sir this $100 bill you gave me has Lincoln's picture on it".
Stupid is, as Stupid does.
This reminded me of when someone posted a picture of a so called winning p3 ticket on the NC thread one time &
had tried to photoshop it so it would look like the winning no. was on the ticket but left some of one of the other
numbers on the ticket showing they were using...it was so funny & of course it was pointed out to them...they had me fooled but when the person who caught it showed the number they left on then I saw it....they almost got by with it....it was sort of like a shadow of one.
AND this person thinks they can outsmart the lottery is unbelievable!
It's not worth calling the police. They should be banned from playing the lottery. Then someone should call the gambling hotline. The number does work and will put someone's name and info in it so they can't collect anything.
I'm going to be rich one day! The day I can figure out how to fix STUPID!
Please do NOT put wrong information about the gambling hotline out there ( 1-800-GAMBLER). Just called them and she said you cannot do as you say. The individual has to call and do this themselves. IDK just relaying what they just told me. Perhaps anyone could call with an individual's information and get it done that way.
OTOH banning yourself from a casino, from what I'm told can lead to your arrest if you 'trespass' and gamble. We go quite often and have 'heard' that if you were to win a jackpot and on a self banned list, they will not pay out a jackpot. I'll be sure to ask my Host about that.