Worker accused of stealing $32K in Florida Lottery tickets from store

What began as a shortage of lottery tickets at a Florida Winn-Dixie turned into a months-long fraud investigation. Police say surveillance video and Florida Lottery records helped uncover an alleged scheme that involved hundreds of stolen scratch-off tickets and more than $39,000 in claimed prizes.

Surveillance video helps investigators

In September 2025, store managers at a Winn-Dixie in Palm Beach Gardens noticed missing lottery tickets, according to investigators with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage, which allegedly showed 45-year-old Essie Latrell Davis, an employee of the Winn-Dixie at that time, taking Florida Lottery scratch-off tickets. She also allegedly took entire books of tickets from a lottery dispenser and a safe.

Authorities said Davis would activate the tickets, then check them for winners. She would keep the winning tickets while throwing away the losing tickets.

In total, investigators found that 456 lottery tickets and 12 books of tickets were stolen between July and September 2025.

According to Winn-Dixie, they reported losing $32,506 in tickets. In addition, the stolen tickets produced over $39,000 in winnings.

Confronting the suspect

Police were able to work with the Florida Lottery to track the missing tickets. They determined that some of the missing tickets were redeemed at Publix stores in Palm Beach County.

At the store, regional manager Edwardson Sabinay was the one who spotted the theft while reviewing surveillance footage in July, the arrest report states. He was reviewing the footage after a store manager had flagged a shortage of lottery tickets.

Sabinay allegedly brought Davis into the manager's office on September 17, 2025. At that time, she told him, “Do what you have to do,” and ran from the store. She left her cell phone behind and was not seen at the store again.

An arrest was made

The investigation continued, and on May 29, 2026, Davis was arrested by the Palm Beach Gardens police.

Davis was charged with grand theft over $20,000 and organized fraud, officials said. For these charges, she faces up to 30 years in prison.

Winning ticket about to expire

While Davis was allegedly stealing her way to winning tickets, one lucky player in Jacksonville bought a winning Fantasy 5 ticket worth almost $58K. However, the prize hasn't been claimed yet and is about to expire if the winner doesn't step forward soon.

For the Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Fantasy 5 evening drawing, two tickets matched all five of the winning numbers (7, 10, 18, 24, and 28) to win $57,984.41 each. One ticket was purchased at a Publix in Miami, which has been claimed. The other was purchased at Publix, located at 9100-3 Merrill Road in Jacksonville. That ticket hasn't been claimed.

Prizes for the Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days from the date of the drawing. That means this winning ticket will expire on Sunday, June 28, 2026, if not claimed before then.

Enjoy playing the Florida Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.