SANGER, Calif. -- United States Attorney Lawrence G. Brown announced Tuesday that Ruby Dee Vance, 24, of Sanger, pleaded guilty Monday before U.S. District Judge Oliver W. Wanger, to one count of theft of mail by a United States Postal Service employee while working as a rural postal carrier serving a route in Fresno County.

The case is the product of an investigation by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Kirk E. Sherriff, who is prosecuting the case, Vance admitted in her plea that, between May 2008 and August 21, 2008, she stole from the U.S. mail letters and packages that had been entrusted to her for delivery on her route. Vance’s thefts included letters containing Wal-Mart gift cards and a QVC package containing jewelry.

Vance is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. The maximum statutory penalty on the theft of mail by a postal employee charge is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. However, the actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables, and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.