BANGOR, Maine — A Winter Harbor woman was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court to three years probation for stealing more than $1,600 from money order payments while working as a relief postmaster in Sullivan, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
Sandra Melnick, 53, also was ordered to pay $1,629.55 in restitution, a release issued by the federal prosecutor’s office said.
Melnick waived indictment in August and pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money.
Between May 19 and Sept. 12, 2014, Melnick issued a series of money orders without reporting the sale or tendering the money to the U.S. Postal Service, according to a previously published report. Many of the money orders were cashed by recipients before Melnick reported them as sold.
When postal service investigators audited Melnick’s accounts, there still were three previously cashed money orders outstanding.
Melnick faced up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, the press release said.