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 attorney didn’t immediately return a call Tuesday from The Associated Press. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9.

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