2 store employees charged in lottery fraud

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Photos: Bryan Beke and Holly Gillmore

Three people, including two employees of a gas station, have been arrested in Stone County in connection with lottery fraud.

According to the probable cause affidavit, an officer from the Mountain View Police Department responded to Murphy’s USA July 29 where he was met with the district manager, as well as local manager Holly Gillmore.

The district manager advised about $4,000 in lottery tickets and $1,300 in cash were missing from the business.

Gillmore told the officer a fellow employee, 35-year-old Bryan Beke of Mountain View, needed money and told the 21-year-old Gillmore of Charlotte in Independence County to scratch off some lottery tickets, which she did. Gillmore said she thought Beke was paying for the tickets.

Through further discussion, Gillmore said she had left the business with $100 and did not know how much Beke had taken.

Officers traveled to a residence along Mesa Vista, but were unable to get an answer at the door. They called a phone number they were given for Beke, who answered, and a short time later exited the residence.

Beke allegedly told law enforcement Gillmore was scanning or playing the lottery tickets and not paying for them. He also denied any knowledge of the $1,300 in cash. He said Gilmore had his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ashley Blanton, hold the lottery tickets for her.

Beke said the tickets were in the trunk of Blanton’s car. Officers located two money bags in the trunk of the vehicle full of lottery tickets.

Blanton said Gillmore had asked her to put some bags in the back of her car, which she agreed to do. She denied any knowledge of the cash. In a later interview at the Mountain View Police Department, Blanton denied any knowledge of the lottery theft.

Beke later said he played some lottery tickets without paying for them and had taken $300 Gillmore had given him. He also said more tickets were in the office at Murphy’s, where officers located them where Beke said they would be.

By reviewing store video and audio, officers learned Blanton was present at the business on July 21 when Beke and Gillmore discussed scratching the tickets, getting a big payout and taking a road trip. She was also present when the tickets were scanned and the losing ones taken home to enter into a second chance drawing.

Beke would later reportedly tell officers winnings from a lotto ticket were used to rent a U-Haul truck to transport belongings from Newport.

A follow-up visit with the store’s asset protection employee revealed the theft totaled $5,000 in lottery tickets and $2,000 in lotto tickets. An additional $424 was reported missing.

Gillmore and Beke have been charged with felony counts of theft of property and lottery fraud, with an enhancement. Their bonds were set at $15,000. Blanton was charged with felony counts of accomplice to theft of property and accomplice to lottery fraud, with an enhancement. Her bond was set at $10,000.

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