By Police1 Staff
MEDFORD, Ore. — Police can keep $1 million given to a lottery winner who purchased a ticket illegally in 2005, an Oregon court has ruled.
Christina Elizabeth Goodenow, 45, used the Visa card of her boyfriend’s late mother to buy the ticket and $12,000 in other purchases, and pleaded no contest to the charges on three occasions, The Mail Tribune reported.
She was sentenced to probation, which required the money be forfeited to Medford police. She filed an appeal in 2007 to try to keep her prize.
The appeal was denied in the Oregon Court of Appeals Wednesday. Judges decided the forfeiture was not excessive because it took money collected via criminal means and did not impose a fine.
Chief Tim George said some of the funds will be used to expand the evidence and property room.
“This is long-awaited good news for the City of Medford,” George said.