Lottery Fever Lands Couple In Jail

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office says a former convenience store clerk stole $243,000.00 in scratch-off lottery tickets.
Deputies arrested Michelle Despain and her husband, Raymond Despain, Wednesday night. The sheriff's office says Michelle worked at the “The Local Yokel” on Ward Basin Road in Milton. Investigators say she took books of lottery tickets and then scratched them off at her Daphne home. The sheriff's office says she and her husband would take the winning tickets to stores and cash them in for at least $187,000. Investigators say they cashed the tickets in at least three stores in Escambia County, Florida and in Orlando.

Michelle Despain is charged with:

Grand Theft over $100,000.00
Organized Dealing in Stolen Property
Scheming to Defraud

Raymond Despain is charged with:

Conspiracy to Commit Grand Theft
Scheming to Defraud
Organized Dealing in Stolen Property
Filing a False Lottery Claim