Scratch-Off Snatcher: Upper Marlboro Man Accused Of $10,000 Waldorf Lottery Ticket Theft

WALDORF, Md. — A Prince George’s County man has been charged in connection with two separate lottery ticket thefts in Waldorf that investigators say resulted in about $10,000 in stolen winnings.

Timothy Lewis Jr., 25, of Upper Marlboro, is charged with two counts of theft between $1,500 and $25,000 following incidents reported in late February and early March 2026 in Charles County.

According to court documents, the first incident occurred on February 26, 2026, when officers with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Sunoco gas station located along Crain Highway in Waldorf for a reported theft of lottery tickets. A store employee told officers the suspect entered the store and asked for a pack of Black & Mild cigars. When the employee briefly turned away, the suspect allegedly grabbed a display containing lottery tickets and fled the store.

The employee described the suspect as a Black male wearing a black jacket, black pants, gloves, and a ski mask. Authorities estimated the value of the stolen lottery tickets at approximately $4,250.

Investigators later learned through the Maryland Lottery Commission that several of the stolen tickets had been redeemed. Records showed that some of the tickets were cashed at a convenience store in Prince George’s County, where the redeemed tickets were collected as evidence. The tickets were processed for fingerprints, and latent prints recovered from the tickets were later matched to Timothy Lewis Jr.

A second theft occurred on March 2, 2026, at the Foods In grocery store located on Mattawoman Drive in Waldorf. Employees told responding deputies that a suspect again grabbed lottery tickets from the counter before leaving the store. Surveillance footage showed the suspect fleeing the area in a white Toyota RAV4.

Investigators reviewed the surveillance video and processed the scene for evidence. Officers also observed the suspect touching the counter area during the incident, and latent fingerprints collected during the investigation were later confirmed to belong to Lewis.

Further investigation connected Lewis to both thefts through surveillance footage, fingerprint evidence, and information obtained through rental car records and motor vehicle database searches.

Authorities determined the suspect had redeemed multiple stolen tickets, collecting thousands of dollars in winnings. Investigators estimated the total value of the thefts at approximately $10,000.

On March 11, 2026, deputies executed a search warrant at Lewis’ residence, where investigators reported locating evidence connected to the crimes.

Lewis was arrested and charged with two felony counts of theft between $1,500 and $25,000. Court records show he was released after posting a $2,000 unsecured personal bond.

A trial in the case is scheduled for April 28, 2026, in Charles County District Court in La Plata.

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