ATLANTA (AP/WAOK) – Authorities say two former postal workers have pleaded guilty to charges of stealing more than $3.5 million in federal tax refund and government benefit checks.

Officials say the workers were accused of taking the checks from an Atlanta mail distribution facility.

Prosecutors said Gerald Eason of Stockbridge and Deborah Fambro-Echols of Hapeville stole thousands of U.S. Treasury checks while working at the U.S. Postal Service’s Atlanta Processing and Distribution Center.

Eason worked as a supervisor, and Fambro-Echols worked as a mail handler.

Eason was sentenced to 7 years, 3 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and fined $15,000.

Fambro-Echols was sentenced to 6 years, 6 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, and fined $12,500.

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