A Fairfield man is accused of stealing blank postal money orders while installing tile at the post office in Unity last spring and then filling them in and cashing them.

Brandon J. Knox, 36, of Fairfield, is scheduled to be arraigned on the charge of theft of government property later this month in U.S. District Court in Bangor.

According to documents filed in that court, Knox stole a clear vinyl pouch containing three blank money orders when he worked as a subcontractor installing replacement flooring at the facility from April 28 to May 2.

The government’s version of the offense, filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Moore, says Knox converted the money orders to his own use, cashing one for $110 and one for $165 on May 1, and another for $210 on May 2, all at the Waterville post office.

Moore alleges Knox had tried to cash the third money order at the Fairfield post office, but a clerk there refused because it was faded. That clerk also recorded Knox’s name and license number.

A clerk at the Waterville post office told investigators that Knox said the money orders had been found in his late grandmother’s home in Alaska.

In an interview with a postal inspector, Knox said he found the pouch outside at the rear of the post office but later said he located it inside “when he was laying tile.”

The charge carries a maximum penalty of not more than one year in prison and a fine of no more than $100,000.

Knox is due in court on Oct. 26.

His defense attorney, James Nixon, said Tuesday that he had “no comment on that at this point.”

In March 2015, a relief postal clerk from Augusta who worked in the East Vassalboro post office was sentenced to three months in federal prison for stealing mail as well as 20 blank postal money orders from a safe there.

Betty Adams — 621-5631

badams@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @betadams