The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has accused a 36-year-old individual of three counts related to attempting to deceive the state lottery based on claims that he took a pack of scratch-off tickets during a job interview.

According to the arrest warrants released by SLED, Antonio Levon Ricardo Stewart, 36, applied for a job at a Murphy USA gas station located in Florence County and was invited for an interview on May 5, 2025.

During the job interview process, prosecutors claim that Stewart unlawfully took a pack of lottery tickets that belonged to the South Carolina Education Lottery.

Later that afternoon, Stewart attempted to cash in winning scratch-off tickets at three different gas stations. A couple of tickets presented to a clerk at the Carolina C Store and three tickets given at a Refuel location were rejected after the scanning process indicated that they originated from a pack not activated for sale by a retailer.

Nevertheless, a $5 ticket was successfully cashed out fraudulently at the Friendly Neighbor gas station.

All three gas stations are situated along Irby, a prominent road in Florence that meets Highway 76/Palmetto Street.

Stealing Lottery Tickets Makes a Bad Bet

Lottery operations are rigorously secured, with the protection of scratch-off tickets being particularly challenging to breach. To safeguard the fairness of the games, state-controlled lotteries implement a variety of security measures that provide multiple protective layers for physical scratch-off tickets.

In South Carolina, retailers are required to scan packs sent from the lottery to notify the state that they have been "received. "

The South Carolina Education Lottery has over 4,000 retailers, enabling consumers to obtain tickets through debit cards and cash transactions.

Retailers "activate" scratch-off tickets by scanning the barcode on each pack, making them available for customers to purchase. Once placed into a ticket dispenser, retailers must keep shift and sales logs, which are now maintained in a digital format.

Given that most lottery retailers are equipped with video surveillance, the theft of lottery tickets has become increasingly difficult. The South Carolina Education Lottery operates a 24-hour hotline for retailers to report any stolen or missing tickets.

Theft Charges

Stewart has been processed at the Florence County Detention Center with the three charges he faces. Each charge concerning the intent to defraud the lottery is classified as a felony, carrying a potential sentence of five years in prison and fines that can reach up to $50,000.

A guilty verdict would also result in Stewart being permanently barred from participating in the lottery.

“A person who is convicted of a violation of [South Carolina Code 59-150-260] must not be the recipient of an award of a lottery prize or a portion of a lottery prize, and is ineligible for employment by the commission,” South Carolina Code reads.

It's fair to conclude that Stewart did not secure the position, resulting in three felony charges rather than a new salary.