Just three days after claiming a historic $167 million Powerball jackpot, a lottery winner from Kentucky is now facing serious legal trouble in Florida.
Lottery winner assaults deputy
Authorities in Pinellas County reported that 50-year-old James Farthing was taken into custody following a violent disturbance at the TradeWinds Resort in St. Pete Beach.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office stated that Farthing has been charged with felony battery on a law enforcement officer, along with two misdemeanor counts, one for resisting an officer without violence and another for simple battery.
The confrontation reportedly unfolded shortly after 11 p.m. on May 29, when Farthing got into a fistfight during his vacation.
According to the arrest affidavit filed in the county’s circuit court, the incident began as a physical altercation between Farthing and another guest, during which Farthing allegedly punched a man in his face.
The report also noted that his girlfriend, identified as Jaqueline Fightmaster, was involved in the conflict as well.
Witnesses said she appeared “very intoxicated,” and deputies described her as “yelling, screaming and making incoherent statements.”
When deputies intervened to break up the brawl, Farthing allegedly responded with violence.
One deputy was reportedly kicked in the right cheek during the encounter.
When deputies instructed Farthing to place his hands behind his back, he foolishly attempted to flee from the resort, but was pursued and arrested.
Following his apprehension, Farthing’s girlfriend was also taken into custody and charged with disorderly intoxication. However, she was later released on bond.
Lottery winner still in custody despite huge Powerball win
The the historic lottery winner, on the other hand, remains behind bars due to an outstanding parole violation.
Kentucky records show that he was on parole through August 2024 for a series of prior convictions, including theft, drug-related offenses, tampering with evidence, and involvement in organized crime, according to WKYT.
The timing of Farthing’s arrest attracted national attention due to his recent lottery win.
Just three days prior, he had become the talk of Georgetown, Kentucky, after purchasing a $2 Powerball ticket at a local gas station and landing a jackpot worth $167.3 million, which is the largest ever recorded in the state.
Farthing and his mother, Linda Grizzle, were celebrated for their win. “It’s going to be a good Mother’s Day,” Grizzle told lottery officials. “This is going to pay off my debt.”
Farthing isn’t the only jackpot winner who was arrested for bad behavior, but at least he legitimately won his prize.
Fake lottery winner arrested
Authorities in Hearne, Texas, arrested a woman named Arthurica Jackson after she collected a $5 million prize from a scratch-off ticket in November of last year.
Though she claimed the money anonymously at first, investigators soon suspected the win was fraudulent.
Officials from the Texas Lottery and local police discovered that Jackson may have illegally obtained the ticket, which originated from a QuickPump store in Hearne where she had been employed.
Following an inquiry, Jackson was arrested on charges including lottery fraud involving amounts over $10,000 and theft of property exceeding $300,000.
She was booked into the Robertson County Jail, though police have not yet released full details on how the fraud was committed.
Florida women in custody after snatching roll of scratch-off tickets
Meanwhile, in Florida earlier the same year, authorities in Polk County apprehended a 38-year-old woman who was already on felony probation.
Despite appearing to enjoy an improbable winning streak in the state lottery, investigators discovered that she had stolen 48 scratch-off tickets from a convenience store in Lakeland.
“She went in a convenience store, reached over the counter and stole a whole lot of lottery tickets,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a video posted on Facebook.
“Then she went to other stores and cashed them in. … She didn’t win the lottery, but she did win a trip to the county jail.”
The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. on August 4, when the woman allegedly entered a Circle K convenience store, lunged over the counter wearing a full face mask, and grabbed $1,500 worth of scratch-off tickets.
Surveillance footage captured the theft, and the suspect began redeeming the stolen tickets within a short time at various nearby locations.
According to officials, nine of the tickets were winners, netting her $470 in total.
Investigators said they used various resources to identify the suspect, including footage of a vehicle seen near the store during the time of the theft.
That vehicle was ultimately linked to the woman, who was interviewed on August 23.
Authorities reported that she confessed to redeeming the stolen tickets during that interview.
“The Florida Lottery provided documentation of the locations and times of where the stolen winning lottery tickets were redeemed,” officials said.
