Florida USPS carrier accused of stealing $2,600 winning lottery ticket, claiming prize: Officials
FILE | A United States Postal Service mail collection box is seen on a street in Chicago, Illinois, United States, on July 25, 2026. The blue mailbox is used by the U.S. Postal Service for collecting outgoing mail from the public. (Photo by Marcin Go
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A USPS mail carrier in Florida has been arrested for allegedly stealing someone's winning lottery ticket and claiming the prize as their own, the Florida Lottery announced on Friday.
Lekaysha Lockhart was arrested on July 23 and booked into jail on charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property, filing a false claim for payment, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and mail theft.
The backstory:
The investigation began after a woman said she mailed her winning Pick 4 ticket through the United States Postal Service, but it never arrived at its destination. A Florida Lottery Inspector found that the winning ticket had been redeemed by Lockhart on June 19 at the Florida Lottery's Miami office.
It was later determined that Lockhart worked as a letter carrier for the USPS. She reportedly admitted to detectives that she took the winning lottery ticket and redeemed it, according to a news release.
What they're saying:
"Our players deserve confidence that every Lottery prize is protected through strong security measures and diligent oversight," said Florida Lottery Secretary Reginald D. Dixon in a statement.
"I commend our Division of Security for their outstanding investigative work and thank our partners at the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Broward County Sheriff's Office for their collaboration in protecting the integrity of Florida Lottery games and bringing this case to a successful resolution."
FOX 35 has reached out to the USPS for comment on the investigation.
The Source: The Florida Lottery announced the arrest and investigation in a news release on Friday, July 31