Florida Man Faces Federal Charges After Lottery Ticket Theft and Robbery

A man from Florida has been charged at the federal level after a series of thefts and an attempted cashing of stolen lottery tickets. Justin Farley, 43, was accused of stealing $7,000 worth of scratch-off tickets from a convenience store in St. Petersburg and returning hours later to try to redeem them.

On May 5, Farley entered a Circle K store, where he reportedly opened multiple cabinets and took several scratch-off lottery tickets before fleeing in his Hyundai Elantra. Less than an hour later, he appeared at a nearby 7-Eleven attempting to cash in the stolen tickets. His efforts were unsuccessful, but he persisted, returning to the same Circle K twice more to try to cash the tickets, all without success.

Undeterred, Farley then returned to the 7-Eleven on May 22, disguised with a black mask and wearing a yellow shirt and black Nikes. He pointed a realistic-looking replica Glock at an employee and demanded money. The clerk handed over $120, after which Farley forced the staffer to the back room to steal a pack of Newport cigarettes.

Surveillance footage captured Farley’s attempts, showing him reaching into the cash register while a person with curly hair and a hoodie stood nearby. Authorities linked him to the crimes through evidence including his license plate and video footage, leading to his arrest.

In a recorded interview, Farley admitted he “needed money” and confessed to the robberies. He was indicted by a Tampa grand jury while in custody on state charges related to the thefts. Now facing federal charges under the Hobbs Act, he is charged with interfering with commerce through threats or violence, specifically related to the armed robbery at the 7-Eleven.

Farley’s criminal history includes previous convictions for felony drug and firearm possession, indicating a troubled past beyond these recent offenses.