Minn. man accused of stealing money from mail

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (AP) -- A Spring Valley contractor who drives a route for the U.S. Postal Service has pleaded not guilty to stealing money from greeting cards.

Forty-seven-year-old Doyle Dean Tarrence entered the plea Thursday to a felony charge of mail theft.

Court documents say the Lyle postmaster received several complaints of money and lottery cards missing from greeting cards. An Austin Daily Herald report says Tarrence was the driver in the area, so authorities planted three money-filled cards in the mail. The criminal complaint says none of the cards reached their destination with the money inside.

The complaint says Tarrence admitted to investigators that he took $200 to $300 from greeting cards, saying he needed the cash to pay bills.

A message left at his home Saturday was not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)