A US Postal Service employee was taken into custody after a joint investigation into the theft and fraudulent redemption of a winning Florida Lottery ticket received via mail.
The investigation began when a player reported that a winning Pick 4 ticket delivered through the Postal Service did not arrive at its destination.
A Florida Lottery inspector found that the ticket was redeemed on June 19, 2026, at the Florida Lottery’s Miami District Office by Lekaysha Lockhart, a USPS letter carrier.
Lockhart was arrested on July 23, 2026, following a joint investigation between Florida Lottery special agents and detectives from the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG). After being arrested, Lockhart acknowledged stealing the ticket from the mail and collecting the prise money in Miami.
“Our players deserve to know that every lottery prise is protected by strong security measures and diligent oversight,” stated Florida Lottery Secretary Reginald D. Dixon. “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.”
Lockhart is charged with grand theft, dealing in stolen property, filing a false claim for payment, mail theft, and two counts of unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Because the alleged violations occurred across many judicial circuits, each case will be prosecuted separately.
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