COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A former U.S. Cellular employee has been accused of stealing nearly $30,000 in merchandise from the company in Council Bluffs. Iowa online court records say 21-year-old Sayeg Moreno Padilla, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, is charged with felony theft and ongoing criminal conduct. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9th.

Prosecutors say Moreno Padilla opened fraudulent accounts and stole 44 cellphones and $1,500 in gift cards between May 6th and June 16th last year.