Eddie Tipton claims he was pressured to plead guilty in lottery rigging scandal

Nov 14, 2021, 5:34 pm (16 comments)

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Convicted lottery scammer looking to reverse sentence

By Kate Northrop

Lottery rigging mastermind Eddie Tipton is trying to reverse is 25-year prison sentence upon claiming that he was pressured to plead guilty in court four years ago.

In 2017, Eddie Tipton was sentenced to a maximum 25 years in prison for rigging multiple computerized lottery drawings in several states so he and other accomplices could collect the jackpots.

In a plea deal, the former lottery security chief also agreed to pay about $2.2 million in restitution for those crimes to the states in which he rigged the drawings, including Colorado, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Kansas.

"I certainly regret my actions," Titpon told the court at the time. "It's difficult even saying that with all the people that I know behind me that I hurt."

Prior to his sentencing, Tipton's lawyer said his client was ready to accept his punishment.

"He looks forward to putting this entire matter behind him and moving on with his life after he serves his sentence," lawyer Dean Stowers had said.

Now he's claiming that he was pressured to admit to crimes he did not commit.

In January 2020, Tipton filed a lawsuit from prison in Clarinda, Iowa that attempts to halt all restitution he was ordered to pay until a new trial is held. At that trial, he says, he would have the opportunity to present documents and evidence that could persuade the court to reverse his sentence.

"The sentence is cruel and unusual because it has been applied to an actually innocent person simply to see that he is charged with a crime," he argued in the paperwork.

In addition to being coerced to plead guilty, he argues that Iowa did not have the authority to charge him for restitution in states it has no jurisdiction over.

On Nov. 4, Assistant Attorney General William Hill requested that Tipton's lawsuit be dismissed, saying that filing the lawsuit is barred by the statute of limitations and should be seen as frivolous.

A hearing is set to take place today to determine whether a new trial date will be scheduled.

"The applicant received a favorable decision in the Iowa Supreme Court wherein the court stated that there was not a continuing or 'ongoing' crime; nor was there a continuing threat and, therefore, the sentence for ongoing criminal conduct is bogus and illegal," Tipton wrote.

Eddie Tipton made a deal with prosecutors in 2017, in which he pleaded guilty to the Iowa charge of ongoing criminal conduct.

For a full play-by-play of the Eddie Tipton drama, you can check out Lottery Post's video on the biggest lottery scandal in history on YouTube.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

That calls to mind some of the words of wisdom that my Papaw passed on to me when I was just a little mountain man child. I remember going down the narrow hallway in our house in the holler and he was coming the other way on his walker and there wasn't room for us to squeeze by each other and Ill never forget what he said to me that day. To the best I can recall he said: "Get the f*** out of my way, you little b*****d!"

But other people told me that "honesty is the best policy" and stuff like that.

Think's avatarThink

If it was a jury trial he could have claimed that the jury was rigged ;)

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Where was this evidence 4 years ago?

TheGameGrl's avatarTheGameGrl

Dern that plea deal!!

Per the legal site:  A defendant is required to plead guilty to a crime knowingly and voluntarily. Prior to accepting a defendant’s plea bargain, the court must also ensure that the defendant is aware of their right to a trial and the consequences of waiving that right.

Tipton sealed his fate. His signature. His verbal acknowledgement is on court record.

Stat$talker's avatarStat$talker

If Eddie indeed told the Court that "he's certainly learned his lesson"..that'z a lil more than just allegedly being coerced into pleading "Guilty"..!! So, it soundz like a contrived lie Thumbs Down,.. az RIGGED az the Lottery Games that he's in jail for riggin in the 1st place..

It'z soo funny how , once sittin in those Prison cells, Convicts garner all of the logic fit of Einstein, tryin to git out..!!  LOL when they should've called on such logic before their Crime..Thumbs Up

No Nod Noope,.. Rot in dere dude ..if I were an Appellate Judge, I'd give his @$$ 2 moe yrs Bash for he and his Lawyer insulting my intellect & wasting the Court's time wit such a frivolous Appeal..

Stack47

"The sentence is cruel and unusual because it has been applied to an actually innocent person simply to see that he is charged with a crime,

If he knew he was innocent of "ongoing criminal conduct", why plead guilty? He should known they were going to throw the book at him. 

noise-gate

VChange Your Mind Hbo GIF by SuccessionHBO.. Sorry Eddie. No can do!

fellini

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time. =0p

Bleudog101

Oh cry me some Kyle Rittenhouse tears Eddie.  You played the system with your <snip>y attitude and thankfully got caught.  How's the restitution coming?   (LOL). 

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

MADDOG10's avatarMADDOG10

It's way too late to cry wolf. You did the crime, now you'll do your time.

justadream

Details... details ! The whole story seemed fishy to me .

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Tipton is not arguing ineffective or incompetent legal counsel so his argument is perplexing. But he has a good argument over the lack of Iowa jurisdiction for the restitution issue

Stat$talker's avatarStat$talker

Quote: Originally posted by Artist77 on Nov 17, 2021

Tipton is not arguing ineffective or incompetent legal counsel so his argument is perplexing. But he has a good argument over the lack of Iowa jurisdiction for the restitution issue

Shocked Really?... So, the prick stands a chance of gittin another trial..?

I wonder WHERE was all THIS logic BEFORE he committed the crime?

Artist77's avatarArtist77

 Just on the Iowa restitution issue unless the cases in various states were consolidated ...which I doubt.  50/50.

Not a new trial as to guilt.

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