The preliminary hearing for an Indianola man has been scheduled as he faces dozens of felony charges connected to the alleged theft and fraudulent redemption of Iowa Lottery tickets earlier this year.
According to court documents filed in Warren County, 46-year-old Stephen George Stockbauer of Indianola was charged with 28 counts of Lottery Forgery or Theft of Ticket, each a Class D felony under Iowa law. The charges stem from an investigation into incidents alleged to have occurred on February 3rd, 2026, at the Amoco convenience store located at 311 North Jefferson Way in Indianola.
Court records state Stockbauer was observed taking possession of lottery tickets without paying for them. Investigators allege security camera footage showed Stockbauer leaning over a counter and attempting to conceal his actions from cameras while unrolling lottery tickets. According to the complaint, investigators say Stockbauer then tore the tickets and placed them underneath the counter before conducting what authorities described as a fraudulent transaction intended to conceal the missing tickets…