BENTON – A Belle Rive woman was sentenced in federal court in Benton Tuesday afternoon to two years’ probation and was ordered to pay restitution to her victims for stealing from greeting cards while working for the U.S. Postal Service. According to court records, 31-year-old Casey L. Neal plead guilty in October of last year to theft of mail by a postal service employee.

In January and February of last year, while working as a substitute sales and distribution clerk at the Belle Rive, Dahlgren, and Macedonia post offices, Neal stole over $300 worth of cash and gift cards from greeting cards that were sent through those post offices. Neal used some of the gift cards to purchase money orders used to pay her personal creditors. After being alerted to the thefts, investigators located other gift cards from retailers and restaurants, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Chik-fil-A, and Dairy Queen, which Neal had stolen from the mail.

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zoe J. Gross.