A former Waukesha convenience store worker is facing charges alleging he stole thousands of dollars in cash and lottery tickets.
Michael P. Gonzales, 21, was charged in on Wednesday with one count of theft of more than $2,500 from a business setting. If convicted, he faces up to 3 ½ years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint:
In May 2011, a manager of Hop-It Market became suspicious after she found a bunch of printed out lottery tickets in the kitchen area of the store. She confronted Gonzales about the tickets and he said he printed them off so he could see if any were winners.
He was immediately fired because he violated company policy, however, the manager became suspicious of the find.
She reviewed surveillance video footage from the store from April 30 through May 9 and discovered numerous instances of Gonzales pocketing cash from the store, printing off lottery tickets and taking scratch off lottery tickets. The total loss to the store from the transactions was valued at $4,924, including a $500 insurance deductable.
Gonzales initially told police he made a “mistake” in regards to the missing lottery tickets and cash, but declined to say further.
He’s currently being held in Waukesha County Jail on $500 bond.
