A U.S. Postal Service employee from Casper will go on trial next month in federal court in connection with allegations that he defrauded the Postal Service, according to court records.

David Bryan Forbes has been charged with money order kiting, misappropriation of postal funds, and making false statements and using false documents, according to the five-count indictment filed in May.

The trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 12 before U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson in Cheyenne.

Forbes could not be reached for comment, but his attorney asserted his innocence.

"We don't think the charges are appropriate," said Forbes' attorney, Ronald Brown of Fort Collins, Colo. "Hopefully that will bear out at trial."

Brown said Forbes had been the postmaster of the Alcova Post Office, but did not know if he still was an employee of the Postal Service.

The indictment states that Forbes, as an officer or employee of the U.S. Postal Service, on May 26-27, 2004, issued two postal money orders for a total of $1,376 without receiving or paying the money for them, and did the same thing on June 18, 2004, for four postal money orders for a total of $2,559.80.

On May 26-27, 2004, Forbes converted to his own use $236 of Postal Service money, and did the same thing on June 18, 2004, with $396 of Postal Service money, according to the indictment.

And between Aug. 8 and Aug. 18, 2003, Forbes made a false entry on a Postal Service form about the value of a $40 money order, according to the indictment.

The first four counts are punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine; the fifth count is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Reporter Tom Morton can be reached at (307) 266-0592, or at Tom.Morton@casperstartribune.net.