Two cousins pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court Wednesday of stealing more than $54,000 in customer checks from one of the cousin's employer, Iron World Fencing, in Laurel.Rhiannon Marie Manuel, 38, of Greenbelt, and Melissa Dawn Jessee, 46, of College Park, both pleaded guilty to theft between $10,000 and $100,000 before Judge Timothy J. McCrone, according Howard County State's Attorney's Office spokesman Wayne Kirwan.Assistant State's Attorney Tricia Cecil shared details of the theft during Wednesday's plea hearings, Kirwan said, stating that Manuel, a sales employee for the ornamental fencing company, took customers' mailed checks that were addressed to the firm and gave them to Jessee. Her cousin then deposited the checks into her personal bank account.Iron World Fencing representatives were alerted after customers questioned open balances on their accounts that had been paid by check. Between Feb. 25 and July 21, 2015, Jessee deposited 13 checks, with the majority of the money going to Manuel. Cecil also stated that Howard police found bank videos of Jessee making the deposits.While the two cousins are free on bond, Manuel's sentencing is scheduled in November and Jessee's sentencing is scheduled in January 2017.