Police arrest 2 in alleged plot to defraud Iowa Lottery

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two Iowa men accused of using bad checks to buy more than $800 in lottery tickets saw a total profit of $134 after winning on some of the tickets. Authorities say the pair now face a dozen felony charges between them and must come up with thousands of dollars in bail money to be released from jail. The Globe Gazette reports that 29-year-old Richard Lee Pierce II, of Ventura, faces charges of attempting to defraud the Iowa lottery and forgery, while 31-year-old Joey Henry Allen, of Clear Lake, faces similar charges plus a felony theft count. Allen is being held in Cerro Gordo County Jail on a $30,000 cash bond. Pierce is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.