BATON ROUGE - Two people were arrested for attempting to cash in a stolen lottery ticket worth approximately $100,000.

According to arrest records, on Jan. 19, authorities were contacted by the Emerald Palace Fuel Station/Casino in Port Allen related to a complaint made by the Louisiana Lottery Corporation.

37-year-old Tammy Tarver of Port Allen, an employee at the store, allegedly stole a lottery ticket that she had not paid for, according to arrest records. While learning of the theft by the employee, Tarver's boyfriend, 49-year-old Derrick Payne of Port Allen, arrived at the Louisiana Lottery Office in an attempt to cash the stolen lotto ticket that had a value of $100,000.

Payne was contacted by authorities at the lotto office and was placed in handcuffs. He said Tarver gave him the scratch-off to cash at the office because she did not have a valid Louisiana ID.

Lottery officials determined Tarver was using lottery tickets on Jan. 16 and her cash drawer was short $50. She was able to pay $20 cash, leaving a balance of $30 unpaid. The winning ticket was purchased last and was never paid for, according to arrest records.

Both Tarver and Payne were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count of skimming of lottery proceeds.

The West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office will investigate the actual theft of the lottery ticket.