MASON CITY – A woman who was previously convicted of felony offense lottery ticket fraud was caught attempting to steal from a Kum & Go gas station.
Mason City police were called to the Kum & Go gas station, 418 South Federal Avenue, Wednesday at 2:48 AM after a theft was reported there. At the scene, police arrested 27-year-old Amanda Jo Garcia, who is listed as living next door in the America’s Best Value Inn. She was charged with enhanced third-degree theft and taken to jail.
Garcia was found guilty in 2012 of violating Iowa code 99G.36(1), which states “a person who, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, alters, forges, utters, passes, redeems, or counterfeits a lottery ticket or share or attempts to falsely make, alter, forge, utter, pass, redeem, or counterfeit a lottery ticket or share, or commits theft or attempts to commit theft of a lottery ticket or share, is guilty of a class ‘D’ felony.”
She was sent to Beje Clark halfway house and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and fined. However, she violated her probation twice and was sent to prison in March of 2014. She still owes over $3,000 in fines and court fees in that case.
