COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - An Aiken County postal worker has pleaded
guilty to pilfering money and gift cards from mail she opened.

U.S. attorney Walter Wilkins said Thursday that Denise Key
pleaded guilty to mail theft by a postal employee. Prosecutors said
she routinely opened mail between November 2006 and 2007 and took
out checks, money orders, cash and gift cards.

Prosecutors say the 43-year-old New Ellenton mail clerk either
used the gift cards or gave them to a relative. She was caught
after customers complained of losing money and greeting cards in
the mail and receiving opened mail.

She told agents she couldn't remember how much mail she'd opened
or thrown away.

Key faces up to a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)