Store Clerk Indicted After Trying to Claim Stolen Lotto Ticket

A Massachusetts liquor store clerk ran out of luck after attempting to cash out a customer’s winning $3 million lottery ticket.

According to CNN, Lakeville resident Carly Nunes, 23, has been indicted by a grand jury on counts of larceny from a building, attempted larceny, presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation. The grand jury also indicted her coworker, 32-year-old Joseph Reddem of Manchester, New Hampshire, on one count of attempted extortion.

The true winner, boat mechanic Paul Little, bought two Massachusetts State Lottery Quick Picks for the Mega Millions lottery, two tickets for the Mass Cash lottery and a bag of chips on Jan. 17. To increase the jackpot size, Little also added a multiplier to his Mega Millions ticket.

The prosecutor’s office said that Little remembered his chips, but forgot the tickets in the lottery terminal tray. Approximately 45 minutes later, another customer bought five lottery tickets, which Nunes picked up from the tray along with Little's two and handed them to the customer. They returned the two extra tickets to Nunes.

According to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Nunes made no attempt to find Little or tell her coworkers about the forgotten tickets, and instead took them home.

The winning Mass Millions lottery numbers — 2, 12, 18, 24, 39 — were revealed that night. Court documents said Little realized the tickets were missing the next morning and thought that he must have dropped them in the parking lot.

On Jan. 19, Reddem drove Nunes and her boyfriend to the Massachusetts State Lottery Headquarters, but while the numbers were right, employees were dubious about the ticket's condition.

An investigation found surveillance video from the liquor store, confirming Little as the rightful winner.

“All of the people working on my behalf renews my faith that there are lots of good people out there,” Little told CNN.