A Palmerton man admitted in Carbon County court on Thursday his part in a scheme to defraud the state lottery system.

Joseph William Walck, 30, pleaded guilty to one count each of criminal solicitation - theft by deception and criminal use of a communication facility. In exchange for the plea four other similar counts were dropped by the district attorney.

Palmerton police charged Walck and others with playing the Pennsylvania lottery skills game and presenting fraudulent claim slips for cash rewards. Police first learned of the activity on Jan. 1, 2018, when officers were called to the Carbon Mini Mart. The manager said that a fraudulent claim slip was presented for payment but declined to pay the reward when it was learned it was not a valid slip. Police later learned that two other businesses were also victims of the scheme: 24/7 Laundry and Blue Mountain Pub.

In all six people have been charged in connection with the scheme.

Judge Steven R. Serfass placed Walck on probation for a year on each count, with the terms running consecutively. He was also ordered to make total restitution of $465.15, which is one-sixth of the total due, render a total of 100 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation.