Lotto Texas winner charged with cocaine possession

Dallas Morning News ^ | 01/22/2003 | Associated Press

[No Truce With Kings]

Lotto Texas winner charged with cocaine possession

01/22/2003

Associated Press

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Easy come, easy go.

Jose Luis Betancourt had a stroke of luck just before Christmas when his Lotto Texas ticket matched all six numbers, netting him a $7.5 million prize.

But his luck ran out less than a month later when U.S. Customs agents found 1.63 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the dishwasher and pantry of his apartment.

Betancourt, 53, of Brownsville appeared in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Feliz Recio Tuesday and was ordered held without bond on charges of cocaine possession and conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

Recio said Betancourt committed a "crime of violence," and was a flight risk due to the Lotto prize he had claimed just a week earlier.

Lottery officials said a background check on Betancourt, performed for every lottery winner, came back clear.

"We usually check to see if a person owes money for child support, taxes, things like that, before we award them the money," said lottery spokesman Keith Elkins. "Once they receive the money, we have no say on how they invest it."

U.S. Customs Service spokesman Rick Pauza confirmed Betancourt was arrested Friday, but would not say how long the agency had been investigating him or if the government was planning to seize Betancourt's lottery winnings.

[No Truce With Kings]

What was it that Robin Williams said?

"Cocaine is God's way of telling you you have too much money."

Yup.

Only in Texas.

[No Truce With Kings]

Ping.

You guys ought to be able to add something appropriately witty.

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[Hot Tabasco]

Arrest him, let him post bail, let him hire an atty. to plea bargain a payoff and then lets move on.........

[humblegunner]

a $7.5 million prize.

With money like that, he has to smuggle???
Hold muh dang bottled beer alert...

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

..but would not say how long the agency had been investigating him or if the government was planning to seize Betancourt's lottery winnings.

I'm really sure that the government wouldn't be doing everything they can to confiscate that money (why do you think they were watching him in the first place?). The government passing up this opportunity is like a your average person not picking up a $100 bill on the street.

[Servant of the Nine]

With money like that, he has to smuggle??? Hold muh dang bottled beer alert...

When you have that much money, a couple a kilos of marching powder is just for personal use and parties, not distribution, no matter what the law says.

SO9

[Republic of Texas]

Exzactly, with $7.5 million that should be his personal stash.

[Slyfox]

Do ya think that his winnings, that will now be taken by the goverment, do ya think maybe,
just maybe, some of that money could make up for a little of what I have to pay?

[nothingnew]

"Hold muh lottery ticket and crack-pipe" ALERT

FMCDH

[SamAdams76]

There once was a loser from Texas,
Who got quite a present for Christmas,
But he soon felt quite low
When the cops found his blow
For it's all gonna go to the lawyas

[fourdeuce82d]

lawyas

Ugly. verry, verrrry ugly. probably laws against that. *grin*

[Lokibob]

I'm not saying that what this guy did was right, but is there no privacy in this country?

Doing a background check is way out of bounds for a lottery. I fail to see what business it is of the lottery what a person owes. If he owes child support, let the state sue him. If he owes back taxes, let the IRS sue him, but for gods sake, pay the guy what is owed by the lottery commission.

DAMN I'm mad!!!

[DAnconia55]

With money like that, he has to smuggle???

With $7.5 Million he still lives in an apartment?

All the screws aren't tightened on this one.

[mysonsfuture]

Sounds like he will be able to hire a damn good attorney to get him off.

[mhking]

Just damn.

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[strela]

Doing a background check is way out of bounds for a lottery.

Why? The lottery rules clearly state that any back taxes, student loans, etc. owed by a winner are taken out of any winnings before they are paid out. Don't want to have your background checked? Then don't play.

[Kerberos]

"I'm really sure that the government wouldn't be doing everything they can to confiscate that money (why do you think they were watching him in the first place?). "

That's what I was thinking. This must be the government’s new hustle.

[Lokibob]

You miss the purpose of my posting.

I CLEARLY stated "Is there no privacy in this country".

If the IRS wants to run a background check, let them. If the child support agencies want some of his hide, let them. But a lottery commission doing a background check is just flat wrong. The guy paid for his ticket with full expections that the prize would be paid.

Again, he broke the law with the cocaine, but that has nothing to do with the lottery commission.