The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office charged a Carterville woman with stealing today.
According to the probable cause statement, Misty Lynn Buchanan (DOB 1976) allegedly stole $670 worth of lottery tickets from her place of employment, Pete's at Carthage.
From the probable cause statement:
On October 3, 2025, Carthage Police Officers responded to Pete’s Gas Station, 201 E. Central Avenue, regarding a past-tense stealing incident. Store management reported that employee Misty Buchanan stole approximately $670 in Missouri Lottery tickets while working. Buchanan then cashed the winning tickets, receiving more than $1,200 in proceeds for her personal use. Management confirmed Buchanan was on duty during the thefts.When contacted by phone and asked to return to the store, Buchanan first claimed she was out of town and later stated she had quit.
Carthage Detectives made multiple attempts to contact Buchanan. She agreed to meet several times but failed to appear. Additional attempts to make contact at her residence were unsuccessful. Detectives later located Buchanan at her residence and conducted a recorded interview.
During the interview, Buchanan admitted that at the end of her shift she would count the legitimate lottery ticket sales, then sell additional tickets to herself without logging them. She said she used $100–$200 of her own money to start, then continued to buy and cash tickets back and forth based on her winnings. When confronted with the verified loss amount of over $600 in stolen tickets, Buchanan stated she did not believe she took that many.
Carthage Detectives made multiple attempts to contact Buchanan. She agreed to meet several times but failed to appear. Additional attempts to make contact at her residence were unsuccessful. Detectives later located Buchanan at her residence and conducted a recorded interview.
During the interview, Buchanan admitted that at the end of her shift she would count the legitimate lottery ticket sales, then sell additional tickets to herself without logging them. She said she used $100–$200 of her own money to start, then continued to buy and cash tickets back and forth based on her winnings. When confronted with the verified loss amount of over $600 in stolen tickets, Buchanan stated she did not believe she took that many.
When informed that more than $1,000 in winnings had been cashed, she shook her head in disbelief but did not deny the conduct.
Buchanan stated she had been “in a bad way” and admitted she had “not been a good person the past few months.”
She further disclosed she had recently been fired from her previous job at Love’s in Jasper after “borrowing or taking” approximately $400 to make a car payment. When asked about prior criminal history, Buchanan said she had “beat that case,” and believed she had also been in trouble around 2007 for cashing hot checks.
Buchanan stated she had been “in a bad way” and admitted she had “not been a good person the past few months.”
She further disclosed she had recently been fired from her previous job at Love’s in Jasper after “borrowing or taking” approximately $400 to make a car payment. When asked about prior criminal history, Buchanan said she had “beat that case,” and believed she had also been in trouble around 2007 for cashing hot checks.
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