Syracuse Man to Be Sentenced for Stolen $5M Scratch-Off Lottery Ticket

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — A man convicted of possessing another man's winning $5 million scratch-off lottery ticket is scheduled to be sentenced in a Syracuse courtroom.

Local media reports say that 35-year-old Andy Ashkar of Camillus is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday morning for having the ticket that was stolen at his parents' convenience store in Syracuse in October 2006. Ashkar faces a sentence of at least 1 to 3 years and as much as 8 1/3 to 25 years.

An Onondaga County Court judge convicted Ashkar in May of criminal possession of stolen property. Prosecutors said Ashkar had stolen the winning scratch-off ticket from the real winner, Robert Miles. Lottery officials say they're close to determining whether the ticket belongs to Miles.

Ashkar's brother was cleared of conspiracy charges.