Crime & Safety
Lothian Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing, Redeeming Lottery Scratch-Off Tickets
Mark Barron Hantske used his job with the Maryland Lottery to steal tickets and claim "ill-gotten" winnings, according to the state attorney general's office.
A Lothian man pleaded guilty this week to stealing more than $99,000 in scratch-off lottery tickets and redeeming them for $67,000, according to the Maryland Attorney General's Office.
Mark Barron Hantske, 59, a former Maryland Lottery Employee, used his position to steal more than 7,500 scratch-off tickets from nine retailers across Anne Arundel County. The thefts occurred between June 2008 and February 2012.
"This state employee thought he could hit the jackpot by using his insider access to steal lottery tickets," Attorney General Doug Gansler said in a press release. "Instead, he's paying the price for illegally attempting to defraud the public.
Hantske pleaded guilty to two counts of felony theft over $10,000 in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years and a fine of $15,000 for each count.
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