Wanda English Burnett, Editor

Former police officer, military man and Indiana lottery official, William C. Foreman, 62, will spend the next eight years on home detention for his part in a lottery scheme that affected the little town of Cross Plains. That decision was made last Friday, February 29 in a Marion County Superior Court.

Foreman was the security lottery official who gained access to the locations of winning tickets in the $2M Bonus Spectacular game back in 2004. He then leaked the information that a million dollar winning ticket could be found at Otter’s Grocery in Cross Plains. Two more joined the scheme, Chad R. Adkins and Daniel J. Foltz, from Shelby County, who then bought the entire roll of tickets from the Cross Plains store for that particular game, knowing they were winners. The tickets were $20 each with them spending about $700 for all.

The trio was all charged in 2004 after an investigation was launched by Hoosier Lottery officials internally. Security has been tightened since that time to make sure this type of thing isn’t repeated.
This is a first offense for Foreman, who in a plea agreement was sentenced to 20 years with 12 suspended and the remaining eight in community corrections. He was ordered by Judge Grant Hawkins to spend the eight years on home incarceration, pay $5,000 in fines and costs and will spend two years on probation.

The harsh penalty for such a crime is punishable by 20 to 50 years in prison, which is the same penalty as attempted murder. While Foreman didn’t receive near the sentence he could have, Deputy Prosecutor Aaron Freeman was quoted as saying the trial would have been cumbersome and this sentence will punish him for a significant amount of his life and send a message. It will also leave Foreman with an A Felony on his record.

In an article published in The Versailles Republican February 2, 2006, Jack Crawford, attorney for Foreman had filed a motion to have the felony charge against his client dismissed. He felt the penalty was too harsh. But, lottery officials thought differently.

Adkins and Foltz plead guilty to theft and testified against Foreman so they could receive suspended sentences. They were also sentenced to one year probation each last Friday. Their original Class D felonies were reduced to misdemeanors and they are ordered to repay their share of the first installment of $50,000 back to the Hoosier lottery.

Although some of the residents in the small town of Cross Plains say they feel cheated by the scam, they have been afforded some satisfaction from a fund that was created after Governor Mitch Daniels personally made a trip to Cross Plains to represent the lottery and bring a check for $100,000. That money was put into a trust fund and will benefit the town for years to come through interest money.