A Butler man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to charges he tried to steal mail in Jackson Township and Butler in 2016.

Donald Vargo, 46, entered a plea of guilty to two charges of attempted mail theft, a felony, in a Zoom hearing before U.S. District Judge W. Scott Hardy on Tuesday afternoon.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Silinski said in the hearing that witnesses saw Vargo trying to steal mail from residential mailboxes on Dec. 23 and Dec. 27, 2016.

On the earlier date, Silinski said, somebody witnessed Vargo pulling his vehicle over to mailboxes on Ridge Road in Jackson Township and pulling mail out of the boxes. That witness asked Vargo what he was doing and said he shouldn't be stealing mail, according to Silinski, and Vargo threw the mail and drove off. The prosecutor said the witness captured a picture of Vargo's blue PT Cruiser and license plate.

Silinski said other witnesses at 100 Coverdale Road in Butler saw Vargo on Dec. 27, 2016, reaching into their mailbox. Those witnesses, according to Silinski, could not conclusively state whether Vargo successfully took mail from the receptacle and were unable to identify Vargo, but she added police were “familiar” with him.

After law enforcement identified Vargo, he said he would only speak with his attorney present and later gave an interview to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the USPS's law-enforcement arm.

“During the interview, Mr. Vargo admitted that he stole mail out of various mailboxes on five or six occasions ... because he was looking for cash to feed his drug addiction,” she said.

Vargo said he agreed with Silinski's summary, and added he has recently graduated from a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

Vargo added he has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings daily since his graduation from the program.

Silinski estimated the United States would seek a sentence of approximately four to 10 months imprisonment based on the offense level and Vargo's criminal history.

Court records show Vargo has previously pleaded guilty in state courts to crimes, including felony criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking in both Beaver and Butler counties.

The maximum sentence for each count is no more than five years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, supervised release of no more than three years and a mandatory special assessment of $100. As part of his guilty plea, Vargo paid $200 as the mandatory special assessment.

Vargo remains free on bond with certain restrictions.