A postal worker, one of five charged with submitting false time cards for claimed work, entered a guilty plea yesterday in U.S. District Court to a charge of making false claims to the government.

Stephen Vargo, 52, of 2559 Point Pleasant Way, told U.S. Magistrate Vernelis Armstrong, “I did falsify my time - my claim.”

Thomas Karol, an assistant U.S. attorney, told the magistrate five mail handlers at the main post office near downtown would use time cards of one another, sometimes punching someone in before he arrived for work, or punching him out well after he'd left.

He said charges against the five mail handlers span from January, 2000, through May. Though the crime of filing a false claim against the government can carry a prison sentence of up to five years, under federal guidelines, the maximum sentence for Vargo is likely six months.

As part of the plea bargain, Vargo agreed to pay restitution of about $7,800.

Others charged were Edward Rabbitt, 55, of 3102 Flame Dr., Oregon; John Cothern, 44, of 6013 Gillingham Dr.; James Kuebler, 46, of 3628 Shamrock Dr., and Robert Geronimo, Jr., 1931 Glendale Ave.

All have been suspended, and all but Mr. Geronimo are to appear in U.S. District Court today. An appearance for Mr. Geronimo has not yet been set.

Vargo will be sentenced by Judge James Carr, but no date has been set. He is free on $5,000 bail.

First Published February 14, 2001, 5:00 a.m.