A convicted sexual predator won $3 million in the Florida lottery, raising the question of whether he can keep the dollars (he can) and inciting the online community.
Timothy Poole posed for a picture with the big lottery check, but when his photo went online, he was recognized from the
Florida website that identifies sex offenders, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
No Florida laws ban sexual predators or felons from winning the lottery.
The Christian Science Monitor pointed out that victims could sue the now-rich man, if it’s still within the statute of limitations.
This isn’t the first such case, even in Florida. In 2007, another Florida resident won $14 million from the lottery, and he had been arrested for lewd and lascivious or indcent assault on a child. Two felons have won Masssachusetts jackpots, and that state’s legislators considered a bill to prevent sex offenders from getting lottery winnings.
The Sentinel said Poole has been arrested 12 times, with charges that include grand theft and forging a check. In 2001, he was arrested for sexual battery on a victim under 12, and he pleaded guilty in 2002 to sexual battery of two boys, the newspaper reported. Although Poole denied the allegations, he was sentenced to five years and got out of prison in 2006.
The Internet community had decided opinions about Poole winning the money.
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