Augusta Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Mail

A 26-year-old Augusta woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing mail while being a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee.

Amanda K. Wentzell starting working for the post office in February 2016. She faces up to five years for "rifling" mail. Between about April and August 2016,  she opened mail that was being processed by the post office, said court records. After a Temple resident complained in July 2016 about his son not receiving a prepaid debit card in the mail, investigations showed, Wentzell used the debit card after activating it, according to court records.

The sentence could be a $250,000 fine and up to five years in prison. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.

The case was investigated by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the USPS, Office of Inspector General.