A 34-year-old former clerk at Publix at La Plaza Grande shopping center in The Villages was ordered to get a psychological exam in a sentencing hearing Monday.
Brandy Marie Wise of Leesburg entered a plea of no contest to a charge scheming to defraud in Lake County Court.
During an interview with police at the time of her arrest in February, Wise admitted that she had made fraudulent returns and then used the money to buy lottery tickets. She said she began doing so in August and would make about $75 in fraudulent returns three times a week to buy lottery tickets.
She told a police officer she is “addicted” to lottery tickets and has been trying to move and thought if she could get a winning lottery ticket, she could afford to move.
A Publix loss prevention specialist told the police officer that he could document $626.30 in fraudulent returns, but suspected that the total that Wise had taken was closer to $6,000.
She has been placed on probation for three years.
She also must pay $1,113 in court costs and was fined $262.50.
She must seek whatever treatment is recommended as a result of the psychological examination.
