Colo. postal worker sentenced for swiping packages

[December 01, 2010]  HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) -- A former Denver-area postal worker who pleaded guilty to stealing more than 11,000 packages and then selling their contents has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison.

Denver's KUSA-TV reports the judge sentenced 48-year-old David Schmauder to the maximum sentence Monday. Schmauder pleaded guilty in August to two felony counts of theft by mail.

Authorities say Schmauder stole packages over two years at a Highlands Ranch post office. The items included DVDs, CDs and lingerie from Victoria's Secret.

Authorities say Schmauder sold most of the items to a store in Littleton. They say he netted more than $85,000 for the goods.

The Postal Service estimates the losses at $283,913, but say there's no way to know how much was stolen.

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Information from: KUSA-TV, http://www.9news.com/

[Associated Press]

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