Does the punishment fit the crime

[Salty]

Andy Ashkar was sent to prison for 8- 25 years.

In 2006 a man bought a lottery ticket which ended up being worth 5 million dollars. Then man took it to the store to be redeemed (unaware of the true value). Ashkar, son of the owner) told the man that the ticket was only worth 5 grand. He convinced the man to take 4 grand to save time in getting the money (and possibly avoid taxes). Ashkar held on to the ticket for short of 5 years. His excused was that he wanted to make sure his fiancé loved him for who he was, not for his money. When Ashkar, redeemed the ticket, the State Lottery did a routine check since his fathers store sold the tickets ( and possibly due to the long waiting period))

So do you think 25 years is excessive? Keep in mind he has had no previous criminal record.

This national story had my interest, not only because it happened in the Salt City, but because I had taught him how to drive about 15 years ago.

 

[church mouse guy]

The states should have stayed out of the gambling business. It is inherently crooked and the state cannot make it honest. The lotteries prey on the weak-minded. Here in Indiana they did a survey of sales outlets and found that they were in poor neighborhoods not in rich suburbs such as Carmel, Indiana, where most of the wealthy in Indiana live. Lottery outlets attract desperate people who are addicted to gambling. In the long run, they are bad for business. The merchant in Indiana makes 5% on the sale of a ticket, plus a commission on winning tickets sold at his outlet. Gamblers often only buy tickets and nothing else at a store.

To answer your question, the guy stole $5,000,000 so I think he got off easy except that it was just a gambling case. The man who had the ticket was guilty of selling off to avoid taxes so he is no model citizen either.

The classic example of gamblers are the soldiers who gambled for the clothing of Jesus at the foot of the cross.

 

[Salty]

The states should have stayed out of the gambling business..

has nothing to do with the OP

To answer your question, the guy stole $5,000,000 so I think he got off easy.

I think 25 years is excessive - I would say max of 3 years

... The man who had the ticket was guilty of selling off to avoid taxes so he is no model citizen either..

I did not say he did that to avoid taxes - only a possibilibity.

 

[Gina B]

Yes, I think it is excessive for a non-violent crime. It also did not appear planned, but a crime of impulse when given a relatively easy and extremely tempting opportunity. He was caught, doesn't get the money, and the victim will get the money. That is good.
It would seem more fitting that criminals of this nature would be sentenced to work in the community doing some good to benefit others, rather than being locked up at the expense of the community.

It seems locking people up is for the safety of others and is more logical when you have a violent or repeat offender. It keeps the community safe and is worth the money. How is keeping this guy locked up going to benefit others? Do they really think it's an extreme risk that he may talk another person out of another multi-million dollar lottery ticket and they must keep him locked up just in case?

 

[Allan]

Andy Ashkar was sent to prison for 8- 25 years.

In 2006 a man bought a lottery ticket which ended up being worth 5 million dollars. Then man took it to the store to be redeemed (unaware of the true value). Ashkar, son of the owner) told the man that the ticket was only worth 5 grand. He convinced the man to take 4 grand to save time in getting the money (and possibly avoid taxes). Ashkar held on to the ticket for short of 5 years. His excused was that he wanted to make sure his fiancé loved him for who he was, not for his money. When Ashkar, redeemed the ticket, the State Lottery did a routine check since his fathers store sold the tickets ( and possibly due to the long waiting period))

So do you think 25 years is excessive? Keep in mind he has had no previous criminal record.

This national story had my interest, not only because it happened in the Salt City, but because I had taught him how to drive about 15 years ago.

About 6 years back, my brother lost his 9 year old daught in a house fire while staying with her mother.

My brother was completely destroyed. He sawed off a shotgun (to make sure the deed was not possible to foul up) and was preparing to commit suicide. I talked him down and reminded him of his 5 year old boy who needed his daddy to. My brother ended up giving the gun to a friend just to get it out of the house. That friend got pulled over a couple weeks later for his DWI and they found drugs (pot) in the car, and after searching his car more fully, they found the sawed off shotgun.

They made a deal with him.. if he told them who sawed off the shotgun they would withdraw all charges. He did, and they did. The police showed up, took my brother 'downtown' and showed him the gun asking if it was his and did he saw it off. He stated he did.

Long story shorty.. According the presiding judge, regardless of why he sawed off the shotgun, or his mental state at the time, the law requires 5 to 10 years in Prison (he got 7 which ticked the DA off cause he was pressing for all 10). And since there are no Federal Prisons in SD. He was transfered to the Prison of the DA's choice. It was a maximum security prison in TN.

So yeah.. the punishment does not often fit crime. Whether going overboard, or overly light, it rarely fits the crime anymore.

 

[Zaac]

About 6 years back, my brother lost his 9 year old daught in a house fire while staying with her mother.

My brother was completely destroyed. He sawed off a shotgun (to make sure the deed was not possible to foul up) and was preparing to commit suicide. I talked him down and reminded him of his 5 year old boy who needed his daddy to. My brother ended up giving the gun to a friend just to get it out of the house. That friend got pulled over a couple weeks later for his DWI and they found drugs (pot) in the car, and after searching his car more fully, they found the sawed off shotgun.

They made a deal with him.. if he told them who sawed off the shotgun they would withdraw all charges. He did, and they did. The police showed up, took my brother 'downtown' and showed him the gun asking if it was his and did he saw it off. He stated he did.

Long story shorty.. According the presiding judge, regardless of why he sawed off the shotgun, or his mental state at the time, the law requires 5 to 10 years in Prison (he got 7 which ticked the DA off cause he was pressing for all 10). And since there are no Federal Prisons in SD. He was transfered to the Prison of the DA's choice. It was a maximum security prison in TN.

So yeah.. the punishment does not often fit crime. Whether going overboard, or overly light, it rarely fits the crime anymore.

Just ridarndiculous that you can legally do something like that to somebody.