Lottery Winner Gets Prison for Shoplifting

Lottery Big Spin winner Terry Garrett, who won $1 million in 1986, was sentenced Thursday to two years in state prison for shoplifting five bottles of cologne.

Garrett, 40, was given the term by San Diego Municipal Judge Janet Kintner, who noted his many drug convictions and a previous shoplifting conviction.

“You’ve been given numerous chances, Mr. Garrett. Money cannot buy your way out of these consequences of your actions,” Kintner said.

“You have had so many chances at probation and you have failed them,” the judge said.

His attorney, Earl Durham, told the judge that Garrett has been a heroin addict since 1966. Garrett said he got his addiction while fighting in Vietnam.

Durham urged the judge to allow Garrett to get into a drug treatment program at Pomerado Hospital and direct the lottery commission to pay the hospital directly.

Durham said Garrett has a psychological addiction to drugs.

“He’s not a violent person. He’s not a career criminal. This is a social crime,” Durham said.

Durham said Garrett receives $40,000 a year from his $1-million winnings.

The judge urged Garrett to go into the drug treatment program after he leaves prison.

Garrett pleaded guilty March 29 to shoplifting the cologne from a North Park drugstore. Shoplifting is usually considered a misdemeanor, but because Garrett had a previous shoplifting conviction, this was a felony.

Kintner remarked that it was “pathetic” for Garrett to steal the cologne, considering his winnings. She said he must have stolen the cologne to exchange it for drugs.

She also fined Garrett $500.

Garrett said in court that he has not used his winnings to buy drugs.

Garrett was a defense witness in the first trial of Sagon Penn, who was acquitted of murder, manslaughter and attempted murder in the shootings of two police officers and a civilian ride-along.

Garrett testified that officer Donovan Jacobs abused him and used racial slurs after arresting him for heroin possession. Garrett is black and Jacobs is white.