GREAT FALLS – A former U. S. Postal Service worker who admitted going through mail and stealing cash and gift cards from envelopes was sentenced on Sept. 3 to two years of probation, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $2,065 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.

Amanda Holland, 38, of Sunburst, pleaded guilty in May to theft of mail by a postal employee and destruction of mail by a postal employee.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court documents filed in the case, the prosecution said that Holland began working in January 2017 for the U.S. Postal Service as a part-time employee in the Sweet Grass and Sunburst post offices, where she assisted customers, processed money orders and sorted mail for delivery. In early 2019, the Postal Service received several reports from individuals indicating that cash and greeting cards sent through the Sweet Grass office did not reach their destinations. Some individuals reported that the envelopes were delivered but that they had been torn open and resealed and were missing cash.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.