An Olathe man who worked at the Blue Valley Post Office in Overland Park pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing gift cards and cash from the mail.

David Alan Boutte, 60, entered the plea Wednesday, Sept. 23, to one count of theft or receipt of stolen mail, KCTV5 reported. Federal prosecutors alleged Boutte took gift cards from letters that were not addressed to him.

The case began in January when a neighbor spotted Boutte throwing away brightly colored envelopes that appeared to be greeting cards, according to KMBC. The neighbor checked Boutte's trash and found four postmarked letters that had been opened and were not addressed to his home.

In February, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) and the Olathe Police Department collected trash from the curb outside Boutte's home on two separate occasions. Both times, they found multiple opened letters addressed to other people, according to Fox 4.

Officers executed search warrants at Boutte's home and at the post office in March. The haul was substantial. Searching his home and the post office, investigators found among his belongings $1,624 in cash, 141 gift cards, letters addressed to other individuals and roughly 1,700 stamps on rolls and sheets. They also recovered a USPS master key and a USPS facility key.

"A neighbor reporting suspicious behavior sparked an investigation which led to an arrest and now a guilty plea by the defendant," U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in a statement.

Kriegshauser encouraged residents to report possible criminal activity through tip lines or email.

Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop of the USPS OIG's Central Area Field Office said the plea reflected the work of agents and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Bishop said the OIG will continue working to protect the mail and hold postal employees accountable.

Boutte is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2027. A federal judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.