LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Greeley man hit the jackpot last year but stole the winning scratch ticket, court documents say.

Jeremiah Ehlers was arrested Monday on suspicion of felony theft by deception, according to Lancaster County Jail booking records.

In an arrest warrant affidavit, a deputy with the Nebraska Department of Revenue said Ehlers claimed the top prize of a scratch ticket worth $300,000 on April 12, 2024.

Ehlers was paid out $213,000 after taxes, according to the affidavit.

On April 23, the company that owns the Greeley Rapid Stop — where Ehlers worked as a store manager — notified the Nebraska Lottery about a theft.

The company provided investigators with surveillance video that showed Ehlers playing the winning scratch ticket before paying for it, the affidavit alleges.

After the winning ticket was validated, Ehlers paid for it, which authorities said was a violation of state law.

Investigators put a freeze on Ehlers’ bank accounts for $128,769.31.  Ehlers had spent the rest of the money on two vehicles, contractor services and payoffs to creditors, according to the affidavit.

An arrest warrant for Ehlers was issued on Jan. 3 and he was taken into custody on Monday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Rumors of ICE activity and arrests have spread throughout parts of eastern Nebraska, fueled by promises of mass deportations from Washington.

While 10/11 News has received information on potential ICE operations in Lincoln, Omaha, Fremont, and Schuyler, local and federal authorities have provided little confirmation.

A post made by the Omaha DEA on Sunday shows agents working with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce immigration policy, but it does not specify where the enforcement took place. The Omaha DEA covers a five-state region and confirmed it has not conducted any operations in Nebraska since President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

10/11 News reached out to ICE for clarification on where these operations occurred, but a media representative did not immediately respond. The media phone line for ICE was also busy for much of Monday.

An anonymous source from a Lincoln advocacy group told 10/11 News they had been assisting immigrants affected by ICE activity, but the group declined to discuss the extent of the activity or whether it took place in Lincoln or elsewhere. Both the Lincoln Police Department and Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they had not responded to any ICE calls for service.

Meanwhile, immigrants and advocates have turned to social media to share information about potential ICE operations in Lincoln and Omaha. Some posts provide legal rights information, while others show videos of vehicles with state plates, claiming they are unmarked federal vehicles.

A frequently shared post pointed to ICE activity in Schuyler, Nebraska, home to a Cargill meat processing plant that employs many immigrants. The post, from the Omaha-based law firm Kendall, Crawford & Reeker, PC LLO, alleges that ICE and other federal agents conducted sweeps in Schuyler on Monday.

ICE, again, has not commented on any activities in the community, and the Schuyler Police Department did not respond. The Colfax County Sheriff’s Office said it had not been called to assist in any sweeps or raids, however.

Another rumor circulating on social media suggested ICE agents planned to visit Schuyler Community Schools on Monday. However, Superintendent Dr. Bret Schroder told 10/11 News he was addressing a different rumor.

Dr. Schroder confirmed he had heard about a teacher’s supposed arrest by ICE but quickly dismissed it as false. While he had heard rumors of ICE agents passing through the community, he received no information about agents visiting the school.

The superintendent said his primary responsibility is the education and safety of students dropped off at his schools each day, not the federal authorities who may be investigating them.

10/11 News spoke with a representative from Kendall, Crawford & Reeker, PC LLO, who confirmed that some immigration-related arrests had been made in Nebraska recently, but none were severe enough to constitute a raid. The representative added that the firm’s phone, however, had been ringing off the hook in recent days.

On Monday evening, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement posted on social media that it had arrested 1,179 immigrants that day alone.

ALSO WATCH: Night Beat with Danielle Shenk

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Nebraska Farm Bureau wants to capitalize on SAF potential

Nebraska Farm Bureau president Mark McHargue says his state has an opportunity to capitalize on the sustainable aviation fuel market.

Speaking to Brownfield at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, Texas, he said Nebraska is developing a pipeline to capture carbon dioxide.

“So I think using our ethanol or corn stover to go into sustainable aviation fuel is going to be important.”