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Illinois Lottery employee charged with stealing, cashing winning instant tickets; second person also charged

Illinois Lottery employee charged with stealing, redeeming winning tickets
Illinois Lottery employee charged with stealing, redeeming winning tickets 00:25

CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Illinois Lottery employee is accused of stealing and cashing winning instant tickets last year.

Dean Derrick, 57, of Springfield is facing felony charges including theft of governmental property greater than $500 but less than $10,000.

He turned himself in to the Sangamon County Jail on Wednesday after the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul says he stole books of instant win tickets while working as a sales representative for the lottery and took them to a separate store to cash winning ones between March 23 and April 13.

"State employees are charged with carrying out the work of the public. That trust is broken when an individual seeks to personally profit from their position," Raoul said. "I appreciate the partnerships of both the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Lottery in this investigation, and I will continue working to hold public employees accountable for abusing their positions and taking advantage of the public."

A second man, Frazier R. Mack, 24, of Springfield, was also arrested and charged with felony theft for helping him cash the winning tickets.

Both men had their bond set for $15,000 each. 

They are expected to appear back in court on March 30. 

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