An indictment is a formal accusation or charge based on a finding by a Grand Jury that it is likely that the person charged committed the criminal offense described in the indictment and is the means by which an accused person (defendant) is brought to trial. An indictment raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
An information is a formal accusation of a crime by a government attorney rather than a Grand Jury. An information raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A charge is an accusation of criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each count is a separate and distinct offense charged in an indictment or information.
A guilty plea is a defendant’s admission to the court that he or she committed the offense charged and an agreement to waive the right to a trial.
A conviction is a judgment based on a jury’s verdict, judge’s finding, or the defendant’s admission that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged.
A sentence is a judicial determination of the punishment to be imposed on an individual who has plead guilty or has been convicted by a jury or judge of a criminal offense.
On December 29, 2005, in the 81st Indiana Judicial Circuit in Lawrence County, Indiana, an information was filed against William F. Campbell, former President of Security, Police, & Fire Professionals of America Local 10, charging him with one count of felony theft in the amount of $3,894.36. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On December 22, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Linda Hoselton, former Recording Secretary for United Auto Workers Local 282, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $1,444.50. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On December 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Debra Herrig, former Secretary-Treasurer for American Postal Workers Union Local 2339, was sentenced to three months imprisonment and two years of supervised release. As a special condition of release, Herrig was ordered to serve three months of home detention. On March 2, 2005, Herrig pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds and made restitution in the amount of $13,265.26 to Local 2339. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On December 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Phyllis Ann Pack, former office manager for the Kentucky State District Council of Carpenters, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $3,349. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On December 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Joseph Rocha, former Business-Manager/Secretary-Treasurer for Laborers Local 1082, pled guilty to two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $2,700. Sentencing is set for February 27, 2006. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General and the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On December 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Gary Gourley, former President of AFSCME Local 1522, was sentenced to five months incarceration, five months home confinement with electronic monitoring, and three years of supervised release. Gourley was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, assessed a $100 fine, and ordered to make restitution of $63,083.80. Gourley previously pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $63,083.80. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office.
On December 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Russell J. Liming, former Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer for Sheet Metal Workers Local 183, was sentenced to thirty days home confinement followed by three years probation and was ordered to pay a $500 fine and an assessment of $25. Liming had previously paid restitution in the amount of $1,171. On August 10, 2005, Liming pled guilty to filing a false LM report. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On December 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Michelle Turney Thurlough, former secretary/bookkeeper for Plumbers Local 614 in Memphis, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $23,172.59. This amount represents the $7,823.80 charged in the indictment as embezzled funds plus an additional $15,348.79 in auditing bills incurred by the union as a result of Thurlough's actions. Thurlough previously entered a guilty plea on September 1, 2005. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On December 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Jackie Sikorski, former Secretary-Treasurer for AFSCME Local 1522, pled guilty to an information charging her with embezzlement of union funds in excess of $10,000 and less than $30,000. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office.
On December 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Richard Lyter, former Executive Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, pled guilty to an information charging him with one count of making false entries in union records. Lyter charged meals with his wife on his union credit card and then wrote false names and business purposes in the union records to make it appear that these meals were for legitimate union purposes. Lyter wrote false information on union records for more than 300 meals totaling over $14,100. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On December 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Peggy Darlene Shortt, former President of Steelworkers Local 14459, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000. On September 2, 2005, Shortt pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $15,842.17. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On December 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, Blaine D. Barnett, former Secretary-Treasurer for Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 374, pled guilty to a two-count indictment charging him with embezzling union funds totaling $1,100. Sentencing is scheduled for March 2, 2006. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On December 13, 2005, in the Circuit Court of Burnett County, Wisconsin, an information was filed against James Turner, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees Council 33, Bureau of Prisons Locals, charging him with one count of felony theft of over $2,500 in union funds. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On December 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Paul Himmelstein, former Secretary-Treasurer for Branch 1977, Letter Carriers, was sentenced to three years of probation and 360 hours of community service. Himmelstein previously made restitution in the amount of $34,683.20. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On December 12, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Rosemary Zwetkof-Ryan, former Treasurer for the Jersey Nurses Economic Security Organization, Local 717, pled guilty to an information charging her with making false entries in union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On December 12, 2005, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, Tarria Burwell, former Treasurer for the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees (IFPTE) Local 75, was sentenced to one year of supervised probation and 100 hours of community service. On October 11, 2005, Burwell pled guilty to one count of first degree fraud stemming from her embezzlement of $15,921.11 in union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On December 9, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, Richard Carlson, former Secretary-Treasurer for American Postal Workers Union Local 769, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $7,089.14. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On December 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, an information was filed against Roy E. Jones, Jr., former President of Communications Workers of America Local 3450, charging him with embezzling union funds totaling approximately $66,000. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On November 30, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Shirley Weber, former Treasurer for AFGE LU 3973, pled guilty to one count of larceny within the special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States in the amount of $1,748.50. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office's Arizona Remote Worksite.
On November 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, a one-count information was filed against Georgia K. McNish, former Financial Secretary for United Auto Workers Local Union 1853, charging her with knowingly making a false statement in a labor organization annual report in order to conceal her embezzlement of $10,000 in local union funds. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On November 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, William C. Miller, former Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 498, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $63,082 and one count of making a false entry in union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On November 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Michael Rice, former President of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 538, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, six months home confinement, three years probation, and ordered to make full restitution, for embezzling union funds totaling $30,210.92. Rice entered a guilty plea on September 19, 2005. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On November 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, Robb Dutchuk, former Secretary-Treasurer for American Postal Workers Union Local 349, pled guilty to a two-count information charging him with embezzling union funds totaling $34,919.90 and one count of making a false statement to obtain Federal employees' compensation. Dutchuk was indicted on August 18, 2005. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Postal Service.
On November 23, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, an information was filed against Rosemary Zwetkof Ryan, former Treasurer for the Jersey Nurses Economic Security Organization, Local 717, charging her with making materially false entries in union financial records in order to conceal her embezzlement of union funds. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On November 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Donald Dixon, former Treasurer and bookkeeper for Stage and Picture Operators (IATSE) Local Union 623, pled guilty to embezzling union funds. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Dixon is ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $106,152 and to pay a special assessment of $100. Dixon was indicted on July 28, 2005. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
On November 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Jeri Russell, former office secretary for Communications Workers Local 36047, was sentenced to three years probation. As a special condition of probation, Russell was ordered to pay $7,933.44 in restitution. Russell pled guilty on August 18, 2005, to one count of making a false entry in a union record. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On November 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Michelle Thompson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #2528, pled guilty to a one count information charging her with embezzling union funds totaling $2,727.93. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On November 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Henry Michael Turner, former Treasurer for National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) Local 2058, pled guilty to one count of making false statements for falsely representing the union's assets on an LM-4 report filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. The false statement was made to conceal his embezzlement of $40,474 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On November 9, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, Kimberly Solheim, former bookkeeper for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Division 402, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $14,635, and one count of making false entries in union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On November 8, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Jerry T. LeBlanc, President of American Federation of Government Employees Local 2250, was indicted on one count of embezzlement within a special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Department of Veterans Affair's Office of Inspector General.
On November 8, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, William Skursky, former Treasurer of PACE Local 2-672, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with making false entries in the union's records in order to conceal a theft of $6,050 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On November 7, 2005 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Marcia Huizenga, former bookkeeper and office manager for Teamsters Local 822, pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling union funds totaling $47,131. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On November 3, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Joseph Rocha, former Business-Manager/Secretary-Treasurer of Laborers Local 1082, received a two-count information charging him with embezzling union funds totaling $2,700. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Department's Office of Inspector General.
On November 2, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Michael C. Crogan, former Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1382, United Transportation Union, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling union funds totaling $31,700. Crogan previously made full restitution to UTU Local 1382. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On November 1, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Jordan, former Business Manager of Iron Workers Local 161, was sentenced to three years probation, including six months of home detention. Jordan was also fined $5,000. On May 24, 2005, Jordan pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $21,652.80 and one count of making a false entry in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On October 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, an information was filed against Barbara Turner, former office secretary of Carpenters Local 2239, charging her with one count of embezzling union funds totaling $29,307. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On October 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Donald Hutchinson, former financial secretary of Chemical Workers Local 763-C, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling no less than $103,488 but no more than $106,216. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On October 21, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, William Good, Jr., former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 821, pled guilty to two counts of embezzling union funds totaling $192,469. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General.
On October 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Terrance Dolan, former Operations Manager for Windy City Maintenance, pled guilty to 11 counts of mail fraud. Windy City Maintenance, a Duff family owned business, had falsely maintained to the City of Chicago that it was a woman-owned business. Earlier in the year, James Duff and William Stratton, former Vice President and Business Agent, respectively, of Liquor and Allied Workers Union, Local 3, were convicted for their roles in the scheme. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the FBI, the IRS, and the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General.
On October 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Edward Dupree, former President of Independent Guards Union of North America Local 138, was indicted on one count of making false entries in union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On October 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Steven R. Fairfax, former Secretary-Treasurer of Branch 3939 of the National Association of Letter Carriers, was sentenced to ten months home confinement with electronic monitoring, five years probation, and was ordered to pay full restitution and a $100 assessment. Fairfax previously pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $53,990.04. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On October 11, 2005, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, Tarria Burwell, former Treasurer of Local 75 of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Employees (IFPTE), pled guilty to one count of first degree fraud stemming from her embezzlement of union funds totaling $15,921.11. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On October 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Christopher Henry, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 02-9264, was sentenced to two years of probation and fifty hours of community service. He was ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $5,210.49 and to pay a $25 special assessment. Henry pled guilty to making false entries in union records on April 25, 2005. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On October 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Duane Raab, former business manager of Iron Workers Local 518, was sentenced to three months imprisonment to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, including three months of home confinement for embezzling union funds. He was ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $25,479.38. Raab pled guilty to embezzling union funds on July 15, 2005. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On October 6, 2005, in the United States District for the District of Colorado, Steve Bush, former Recording Secretary and Business Agent for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 990, pled guilty to four counts of embezzling union funds totaling $2,850. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On October 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Tina Buracker, former President of Communications Workers of America Local 82174, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $54,679. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On October 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Stanley James Kluss, former Executive Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA), was indicted on 14 counts of embezzling union funds totaling at least $20,000 and 18 counts of mail fraud. The indictment alleges that Kluss embezzled funds by charging unauthorized personal expenses to WPPA credit cards assigned to him, obtaining unauthorized cash advances on the credit cards, and submitting false reimbursement claims in excess of $15,000 for mileage he claimed he drove on WPPA vehicles. The indictment also alleges that Kluss caused the WPPA to pay for unauthorized expenses totaling approximately $8,879.09 which included expenses for groceries, shampoo, candle holders, VHS and DVD movies, dog food, cigarettes, assorted personal items, a snowmobile, concert tickets, and a trip to Walt Disney World. Kluss is alleged to have disguised his personal expenses by altering the receipts submitted to the WPPA bookkeeper by cutting off the top and bottom portion of the receipts and taping the two sections together, thereby deleting the detail portion of the receipts that identified the items he purchased. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On October 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Barbara Wituschek, former bookkeeper for Iron Workers Local 161, pled guilty to two counts of embezzling union funds totaling $5,745.41. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On October 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Cynthia Wright, former President of AFGE Local 1298, pled guilty to making a false statement of material fact. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General.
On October 3, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, George Beck, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers (PACE) Local 01-366 was sentenced to six months home confinement to be followed by two years of probation for embezzlement of union funds. He was also ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $26,918. Beck pled guilty to embezzling union funds on September 7, 2005. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
On September 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Marilyn Constable, former trustee of ABC Local 12 Employer and Employee Life Benefit Fund, a benefit fund of the Bakery & Tobacco Workers AFL-CIO, Local 12-A, Pittsburgh, PA, was charged in a 15 count indictment with embezzling $7,591.01 in benefit funds. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office and EBSA Philadelphia Regional Office.
On September 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Albert Moore, Jr., former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of PACE Local 6992, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $36,327. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On September 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Evon Louis, aka Evon Lewis, while employed by Carpenters Local Union 130, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $11,635.57. On September 27, 2005, Louis/Lewis was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and released pending arraignment after posting bond. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
On September 22, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, Richard Carlson, former Secretary-Treasurer of Postal Workers Local 769, was indicted on 18 counts of embezzling union funds totaling $7,089.14, and one count of making a false statement in a Labor Organization Report. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On September 21, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Joseph Calcagno, former Business Manager/Secretary Treasurer of Laborers Local 1162, was sentenced to two years probation for making false entries in the financial books and records of Local 1162. Calcagno was also ordered to make restitution of $66,632 to the union for improper expenses that were claimed by Calcagno while employed by the union. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
On September 21, 2005, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Jefferson Circuit Court, Joseph J. Brady, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 1693, was charged with one count of theft by unlawful taking. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On September 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, Robert N. Watson, former Secretary-Treasurer of PACE Local 08-748, pled guilty to making false entries and concealing, withholding, and destroying labor organization records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On September 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Gary Gourley, former President of AFSCME Local 1522, pled guilty to embezzling $63,084 in union funds. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office.
On September 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Lenin V. Perez, former President of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 599, pled guilty to knowingly and willfully receiving cash kickbacks in return for referring postal employees to certain medical specialists under a Federal health care program. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
On September 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Michael Rice, former President of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 538, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $30,210.92. An information was filed on September 1, 2005, charging Rice with embezzling union funds by submitting false claims for expenses incurred for fictitious meetings. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On September 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Linda Y. Brown, former Secretary-Treasurer of Boilermakers Local Lodge 57, pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with mail fraud for executing a scheme to defraud the union of approximately $24,336 of union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On September 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Christopher Scott Wagner, former Operations Manager for the Boilermakers National Funds, was indicted on one count of lying to federal agents and one count of obstructing a health care investigation. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office and the DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Inspector General.
On September 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Rebecca Bandt, former President of Local 717, United Food and Commercial Workers, was indicted on five counts of embezzling union funds totaling $14,064, five counts of making a false statement in a required record, and four counts of filing false reports with the Department of Labor. The indictment alleges that Bandt wrote 43 unauthorized checks to herself, attempted to conceal the embezzlement by falsifying the payee or amount on 32 checks recorded in Local 717's disbursement journal, and falsely reported the total payments to her on Labor Organization Annual Reports Form LM-3 by reporting amounts that were less than she actually received. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On September 12, 2005, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Beaver County Court, Beth Ann Shanor, former employee of Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Sub-Lodge 3094, was charged in a two-count criminal complaint with embezzling $5,586.70 in union funds. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 14, 2005. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On September 12, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, James Jackson, former Treasurer of Longshoremen and Warehousemen (ILWU) Local 200, Unit 62, was charged with one count of embezzling $12,934.50 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On September 7, 2005, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County Court, Brenda Berkhamer, former employee of United Mine Workers Local 1257, was charged in a 47-count criminal complaint with embezzling $9,656.50 in union funds. She was arrested the same day and released on $10,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 18, 2005. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On September 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Elizabeth Fiske, former Bookkeeper and Office Secretary of AFSCME Council 38, was indicted on 63 counts of embezzling union funds totaling $32,793 and one count of destroying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On September 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jenny Noah, former Financial Secretary for PACE Local 5-1250, was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of filing a false LM-3 report. Noah failed to disclose an unauthorized $500 disbursement to herself on the financial report. She was sentenced to 2 years probation, ordered to pay a $25 special assessment, and ordered to make full restitution. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On September 6, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, George P. Strollo, former Treasurer of Communication Workers Local 81495, pled guilty to falsifying union records. Strollo's plea agreement acknowledged that he made false entries in the union records to conceal taking money from the union. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On September 1, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, an information was filed against Michael Rice, former President of Local 538 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, charging him with one count of embezzling union funds totaling $30,210.92. The information states that Rice embezzled funds by submitting false claims for expenses incurred in attending meetings with the UFCW and AFL-CIO which never took place. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On August 31, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, former Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) Treasurer James Baxter and former WTU Assistant to the President Gwendolyn Hemphill were found guilty of all 23 counts after a jury trial lasting approximately three months. The convictions included conspiracy, embezzlement, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to launder money, false statements on LM reports and false union records. These are the seventh and eighth convictions of individuals involved in the embezzlement of approximately $4.6 million from the WTU. Sentencing for Baxter and Hemphill is set for December 9, 2005. The case was the result of a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
On August 31, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Paul Himmelstein, former Secretary-Treasurer of Branch 1977, Letter Carriers, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $34,683.20. Himmelstein was indicted on May 24, 2005. Sentencing is scheduled for November 29, 2005. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On August 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Martha Bautista, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 1528, was sentenced to 36 months of probation, including 180 days of home detention, for her role in embezzling union funds. Bautista was ordered to pay restitution totaling $115,259.27. She pled guilty to embezzling union funds on June 20, 2005. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
On August 25, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii, Anthony Rutledge, former financial secretary-treasurer of Local 5, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees, and former president of Unity House, an umbrella organization that provides benefits to members of Local 5 and Teamsters Local 996, pled guilty to one count of knowingly falsifying a tax return. Sentencing is scheduled for April 10, 2006. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Honolulu Resident Investigator Office, DOL's Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service, among others.
On August 25, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Dana Lockwood, former Treasurer of Asbestos Workers Local 49, was sentenced to five months in prison, five months home confinement, and ordered to make full restitution. Lockwood had previously been charged on March 23, 2005 with embezzling $64,255.55 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On August 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Henry Michael Turner, former Treasurer of National Federation of Federal Employees, Local 2058, was indicted on one count of making false statements on an LM-4 report to cover up an embezzlement of $40,474. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On August 22, 2005, in the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, Diane L. Hollins, former president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3283 and former AFGE National Representative, pled guilty to one count of theft in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2913.02. Following her plea, Hollins was sentenced to five (5) years probation, with stipulations requiring that she make restitution of $7,303.03 to Local 3283 and that she neither seek nor hold any position in any labor organization, other than as a member. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On August 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota, Robb Dutchuk, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Local 349, was indicted on charges of embezzling $34,919.90, making a false statement in a labor union report, making a false statement to the Postal Service, and making a false entry in and the destruction of labor union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General.
On August 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Jeri Russell, former office secretary for Communications Workers Local 36047, pled guilty to a one count information that was filed on July 15, 2005, of making a false entry in a required record. Sentencing was set for November 3, 2005. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On August 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Kathy Jacobsen, former Secretary-Treasurer of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts AFL-CIO (IATSE) Local 69, was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,000 and one count of making false entries in union records. The indictment resulted from an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On August 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Cynthia Wright, former president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1298 in Fort Worth, Texas, was indicted on charges of making a false statement. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General.
On August 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, James Taylor Banks, former Business Agent of Operating Engineers Local 369, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,593. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On August 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Utah, Blaine Dee Barnett, former secretary-treasurer of Division 374, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, was indicted on two counts of embezzlement of $1,100 in union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On August 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Russell J. Liming, former business manager/financial secretary of Sheet Metal Workers Local 183, pled guilty to an information charging him with one count of filing a false report with the U.S. Department of Labor. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On August 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, Thomas Brewster, former secretary-treasurer of Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 976 in Portsmouth, NH, was indicted on charges of embezzling more than $150,000 between May 17, 2003, and December 27, 2004. The indictment follows an investigation by the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General and the OLMS Boston District Office.
On August 9, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, George Hines, former Business Agent of Sheet Metal Workers Local 5, was sentenced to 13 months in prison and three years probation for embezzling union training funds. He was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $200 and make restitution in the amount of $95,798.45. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On August 2, 2005, in the 18th Judicial Circuit of Alabama, Rhonda Hughes, wife of a former PACE Local 3-537 Secretary-Treasurer, pled guilty to a three-count indictment charging her with two counts of Possession of a Forged Instrument Second Degree and one count of Forgery Second Degree. She was sentenced to five years supervised probation and ordered to pay restitution of $4,652.55 at the time of the plea. In addition, she was ordered to pay restitution to all victims at the direction of the Department of Corrections. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On August 2, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Mario Garafola, an organized crime associate, was sentenced to three years imprisonment and was ordered to pay $30,000 in forfeiture to the United States Government and $1.9 million in restitution. Garafola previously pled guilty to charges filed in an indictment involving conspiracy to commit Mail Fraud, Paying Money from an Employer to a Representative of Employees; Committing Money Laundering; Obstructing Justice by Tampering with a Witness; Obstructing Justice by Withholding Documents from a Grand Jury; and Embezzling Moneys of Employee Benefit Plans. The labor corruption scheme concerning the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority's Building at 2 Broadway involved multiple unions including Elevator Constructors Local One, Operating Engineers Local 14, and Laborers Local 79. On June 20, 2005, in the same court, Laborers Local 79 Business Agent Junior Campbell was sentenced to probation as a result of his guilty plea to charges of making false statements. Also on June 20, 2005, Richard Calaboro was sentenced to five months imprisonment and ordered to pay $8,626 in restitution. Calaboro was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice based on his false testimony before the grand jury regarding the no-show job obtained by Mario Garafola at Building Core Construction. This investigation was conducted jointly by the OLMS New York District Office and the FBI.
On August 1, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Daniel Van Becelaere, former financial secretary of Local 763, United Transportation Union, was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to make restitution of $36,169.84 for embezzlement. On May 11, 2005, Van Becelaere pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On July 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri (Southwestern Division), Tawyuna Palmer, former financial secretary of Local 11-14228, Steelworkers, was sentenced to five years probation for embezzlement. As a condition of probation, Palmer was ordered to successfully participate in six months of home detention and perform 120 hours of community service. Prior to sentencing, she made $21,499.00 in restitution. On April 18, 2005, Palmer pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Office.
On July 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Donald Dixon, former bookkeeper-treasurer for Local 623, International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees, was indicted on six counts of embezzlement totaling $6,399.81. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
On July 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Donald Hutchinson, former Financial Secretary of the Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 763-C, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $105,976. He was also indicted on five counts of reporting and recordkeeping violations. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On July 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Jordan, the former business manager of Riggers, Local 161, pled guilty to one count of embezzlement totaling $21,652.80 and one count of making a false entry in the union's records. On May 24, Jordan was indicted on two counts of embezzlement and one count of making a false entry. Under the terms of the plea agreement, one count of embezzlement will be dismissed at the time of sentencing which is scheduled for November 1, 2005. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On July 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, a 23-count indictment was filed against the following individuals: Jorge L. Aponte-Figueroa, president of both UTM Local 1740, the International Longshoremen's Association, and the District Council of International Longshoremen Association Locals in Puerto Rico; three other union officials (attorney Ada Perez-Alonso, Enrique Sosa-Hernandez, and Milagros Pagan-Morales); six businessmen (Angel Ramallo-Diaz, Rafael Garcia-Perez, Fernando Sanchez-Bencon, Eduardo Sanchez-Bencon, Francisco Consuegra-Lastayo, and Guillermo Rivera-Oliver); and three corporations known as Ramallo Bros., Inc., Consuegra, Inc., and Pro, Inc. The indictment charges these individuals with the following offenses: one count of conspiracy to embezzle labor union funds; one count of conspiracy to embezzle ERISA funds; five counts of embezzlement of labor union funds; four counts of embezzlement and misapplication of Health Care Program Funds; one count of conspiracy to launder money embezzled from union dues; and five counts of making a false record. Among other allegations, the indictment specifically alleges that Aponte-Figueroa and Sosa-Hernandez conspired to embezzle union funds in excess of $1,950,000 from UTM Local 1740. In addition, the indictment alleges that Aponte-Figueroa falsely under-reported the amount of dues paid to UTM Local 1740 in Forms LM-2 and LM-3 in addition to failing to report $1,489,478.89. Moreover, as part of the conspiracy to embezzle ERISA funds, the indictment alleges that Aponte-Diaz, four other individuals and Ramallo Bros., Inc, conspired to unlawfully convert to their own use monies exceeding $8,000,000. The indictment follows an ongoing joint investigation by the OLMS Puerto Rico Resident Investigator Office, the FBI, and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Puerto Rico.
On July 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Bernard Scheller, former secretary-treasurer for Local 14448, Communications Workers, was sentenced to six months in a half-way house, two years of supervised release, and 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. On May 16, 2005, Scheller pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling $7,250 in union funds. The guilty plea and sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On July 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Diane Sampson, former treasurer of the Fraternal Order of Police, was arrested and charged with theft by embezzlement of approximately $23,000 in union funds. In addition, she was charged with making false statements and false representation of material facts on the annual LM reports. The charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
On July 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, William Harry Good, Jr., former financial secretary-treasurer of Local Lodge 821, Machinists, was indicted for embezzling $11,800 in union funds. According to the 8-count indictment, Good made union checks payable to himself, without authorization or approval by the union's executive board, and deposited them into his personal bank account. The indictment superceded a criminal complaint and an arrest warrant on June 30, 2005. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On July 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Michael C. Crogan, former secretary-treasurer of Local 1382, United Transportation Union, entered a guilty plea by plea agreement to an information filed on the same day charging him with embezzling $31,700 in union funds. The charge and plea agreement follow an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On July 8, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Sonya R. Green, former financial secretary of Local 3657, Steelworkers, was sentenced to ten months incarceration (five months in a correctional facility followed by five months home detention with an electronic monitor). In addition, Green was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $39,879.95. On April 15, 2005, Green pled guilty to one count of embezzlement following an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On July 7, 2005, in the United District Court for Nebraska, Terry L. Gloe, former treasurer of Local 11, American Postal Workers Union, was sentenced to six months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release with a special condition of six months continuous home confinement. In addition, he was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $113,377. On February 3, 2005, Gloe pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
On July 6, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, Robert W. Watson, former secretary-treasurer of Local 8-748, PACE, was indicted for embezzling approximately $7,325 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On June 30, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, an indictment was filed against William Harry Good, Jr., former financial secretary-treasurer of Local Lodge 821, Machinists, charging him with embezzling $1,500 in union funds. The charge of $1,500 is one of 229 checks totaling over $192,000 Good is alleged to have misappropriated from the union. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On June 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Ronald A. Bush, former president of Local 990, United Food and Commercial Workers, pled guilty to four counts of embezzling $1,967 in union funds. Bush's guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On June 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Anthony Marro, the former secretary-treasurer of Local 518, SEIU, pled guilty to a one count information charging him with failure to retain union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On June 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, an information was filed against Russell J. Liming, business manager-financial secretary of Local 183, Sheet Metal Workers, charging him with one count of filing a false report. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On June 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Chris Byron, former bookkeeper of Local 78, Laborers, was sentenced to one year probation for embezzling $20,928 in union funds between March and October 2003. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On June 21, 2005, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an arrest warrant against Cynthia Wright, former president of Local 1298, AFGE, for one count of submitting fraudulent travel voucher claims to the Bureau of Prisons despite previous reimbursement by the union. The arrest follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General.
On June 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Stephen L. Bush, former recording secretary and business agent of Local 990, Food and Commercial Workers, was indicted on 51 counts of embezzling $22,514.40 in union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On June 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Martha Bautista, former secretary-treasurer of Local Lodge 1528, Machinists, pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling union funds of more than $5,000 but less than $10,000. On June 1, 2005, an information was filed against Bautista for embezzlement. On May 6, 2005, Bautista made an initial payment of $50,000 toward the $165,259.27 in restitution due to the union. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
On June 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Michael Moore, former secretary-treasurer of Local 1269, Machinists, was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, and restitution of $49,131 for embezzling union funds. On April 13, 2005, Moore pled guilty to a one-count information following an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On June 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy C. Burke, the former business manager-financial secretary of Local 42, Roofers, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $31,470 in union funds. Burke was previously indicted on March 16, 2005, following an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On June 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jenny Noah, the former treasurer of Local 5-1250, PACE, pled guilty to making a false statement of material facts. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On June 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, John Clifford, the former president of the United Business Workers Union, was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 for making a false statement of material facts. Clifford had previously made restitution to the union in the amount of $60,000. On February 16, 2005, Clifford pled guilty to the charge following an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On June 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Darlene Peggy Shortt, the former president of Local 14459, Steelworkers, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On June 8, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Julie Messick, the former treasurer of Local 2001, Carpenters, was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to pay a fine of $100 for embezzling union funds. Messick had previously made restitution to the union in the amount of $11,793.85. On February 17, 2005, Messick pled guilty to the charge following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On June 2, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, an information was filed against Robin Klein, an outside accountant hired by the Washington Teachers' Union (WTU), charging her with two counts of failing to disclose material facts in a trial balance that she prepared for the WTU. The information alleges that the trial balance was then used by a union officer to file a false Form LM-2 report. Klein pled guilty to both counts on this date. The information supersedes an indictment against Klein filed on November 20, 2003. Moreover, the information and plea are part of an ongoing investigation of the WTU conducted by the OLMS Washington District Office, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
On May 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Paul Himmelstein, the former secretary-treasurer of Branch 1977, Letter Carriers, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of approximately $20,000 or more. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On May 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, James Jordon, the former business manager of Local 161, Iron Workers, was indicted on two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $21,652.80 and one count of making a false entry in union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On May 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Cassandra Williams, former president of Local 905, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), was indicted on one count of making a false statement and one count of filing false records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On May 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Duane Raab, former business manager for Local 518, Iron Workers, was indicted on three counts of embezzling union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On May 18-20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, four individuals were sentenced for fraud, money laundering, and racketeering conspiracy involving the Duff family business enterprise. They were involved in two fraudulent schemes: one relating to more than $100 million in government and private contracts obtained by sham woman- and minority-owned businesses and the other relating to over $3 million in unpaid workers' compensation insurance premiums. The sentences follow a collaborative investigation conducted by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the FBI, the IRS, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General. The four individuals were sentenced as follows:
- On May 18, 2005, James M. Duff was sentenced to nine years and ten months incarceration and three years of supervised release. He was ordered to make restitution to the City of Chicago in the amount of $10,933,016. In addition, Duff was ordered to make restitution to the National Council on Compensation Insurance's (NCCI) assigned risk pool in Illinois in the amount of $1.09 million for which co-defendant John J. Leahy is jointly and severally liable. Also, he was ordered to forfeit $10 million, in addition to an assessment of the bill of costs for prosecution of $55,505.62, and a special assessment of $3,300. On January 10, 2005, Duff pled guilty to the charges.
- On May 19, 2005, John J. Leahy, president of Leahy & Associates insurance brokerage, was sentenced to three years and ten months incarceration. He was ordered to be jointly and severally liable with co-defendant James M. Duff for restitution of $1.09 million to the NCCI assigned risk pool. In addition, Leahy was ordered to pay a special assessment of $800. On February 24, 2005, Leahy was convicted of the charges.
- On May 19, 2005, Edward Wisniewski, insurance agent and vice president of Leahy & Associates, was sentenced to one year and one day incarceration and three years of supervised release. In addition, he was ordered to pay a special assessment of $800. On February 24, 2005, Wisniewski was convicted of the charges.
- On May 20, 2005, William E. Stratton, a long-time friend and associate of the Duff family, and an employee for over 18 years of Local 3, Liquor Distributors Union (a union managed by members of the Duff family), was sentenced to five years and ten months incarceration and three years of supervised release. Stratton was ordered to be jointly and severally liable with co-defendant James M. Duff for restitution to the City of Chicago in the amount of $7,370,379. Stratton was ordered to forfeit $525,932 in salary he earned as the minority figurehead of Remedial Environmental Manpower and he was ordered to pay a special assessment of $1,100. On February 24, 2005, Stratton was convicted of the charges.
On May 12, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Amanda Kemmer, former secretary of Local 3, Bricklayers, was sentenced to 24 months in prison, three years probation, and ordered to pay full restitution for embezzling $209,384 in union funds. On December 22, 2004, Kemmer pled guilty following an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On May 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Daniel Van Becelaere, former financial secretary of Local 763, United Transportation Union, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $36,169 in union funds after the first day of his trial. Van Becelaere was indicted on December 14, 2004 following an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On May 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, an indictment against Patricia Longbon, former bookkeeper of Building and Construction Trades Council of Southwestern Pennsylvania (BCTC), was unsealed following her arrest. On May 4, 2004, Longbon was indicted on 25 counts of embezzling $10,157 in union funds and two counts of making false records. The indictment was initially sealed due to the difficulty in locating Longbon. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On May 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Barbara Wituschek, the former office secretary for Local 161, Iron Workers (Riggers), was indicted on two counts of embezzling $5,745.41 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On May 5, 2005, in Philadelphia County District Court, Cristie Campbell, the former bookkeeper for the Penns Landing Catering Company, a subsidiary of Local 19, Sheet Metal Workers, pled guilty to writing bad checks, a misdemeanor 1. On the same day, Campbell was sentenced to two years probation and fined $150. The guilty plea and sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On May 4, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Leslie Patricia Bell, former bookkeeper of Local 1184, Laborers International Union, was charged in a one-count information with embezzling $178,452 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On April 25, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Christopher Henry, former financial secretary of Local 02-9264, Steelworkers, pled guilty to making false entries in union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On April 22, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Gary Miller, former president of Local 2372, United Auto Workers, was sentenced to three years probation for embezzlement. Miller was ordered to pay a $100.00 fine and restitution totaling $7,947.28. On January 20, 2005, Miller pled guilty to embezzling union funds in excess of $5,000 following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On April 22, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Mary Jane Krausz, former office secretary of Locals 295, 377, and 1535, Carpenters, was sentenced to five months confinement and three years supervised release (the first five months of the supervised release must be spent in home confinement). Additionally, she was ordered to pay $27,629.89 in restitution. On November 1, 2004, Krausz plead guilty to embezzling $37,204 of union funds following an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On April 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Anthony L. Ward, former president of Local 1055, AFGE, was indicted on one count of making a false statement and five counts of uttering forged securities. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On April 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Jenny D. Noah, the former financial secretary-treasurer for Local 5-1250, PACE, was indicted on one count of filing a false report. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On April 18, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Southwestern Division, Tawyuna Palmer, former financial secretary of Local 11-14228, Steelworkers, pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with embezzling $21,449.77 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Office.
On April 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Sonya R. Green, former financial secretary of Local 3657, Steelworkers, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. On September 28, 2004, Green was indicted on 35 counts of embezzling $39,879.95 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On April 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Michael T. Moore, former secretary-treasurer of Local 1269, Machinists, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling $47,939.53 in union funds. During an eight-month period from February to October 2002, Moore wrote 52 unauthorized checks to himself for his personal benefit. He forged the co-signature of the Local president on 50 of these checks. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On April 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Doris J. Blue, former president of Local 2207, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), was sentenced to six months home confinement, 36 months supervised probation, and fined $2,000. Blue had previously pled guilty to forging the signature of a United States District Judge and obstruction of justice on November 18, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office and the FBI.
On April 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jonathan LaSalle Quinn, former secretary-treasurer of Local 6-126, Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical & Energy Workers (PACE), was sentenced to six months of home detention and three years probation. In addition, he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,394.00 and a special assessment of $125.00. Quinn had previously pled guilty to embezzling more than $10,000 in union funds and falsifying union records, following an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On April 5, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Angelous "Smokey" Lineback, former international representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers, Retail Wholesale (UFCW) District Council, was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment followed by 36 months of supervised probation. In addition, he was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $77,441.00 to UFCW Local 1050 and $13,685.00 to UFCW Local 1052. On May 3, 2004, Lineback pled guilty to embezzling union funds and falsifying union records for the two locals he was representing following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On March 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Terry Aldrich, former president of the Westfield Tanning Employees Association, was sentenced to two months in prison followed by three years probation for embezzlement. In addition, Aldrich will be subject to four months of electronic monitoring and he must pay restitution in the amount of $54,770 (payable in the minimum of $50.00 monthly installments). On September 15, 2004, Aldrich pled guilty to embezzling union funds in excess of $39,000 following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On March 29, 2005, in the United Stated District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Robert Moon, former secretary-treasurer of the Westfield Tanning Employees Association, was sentenced to two months in prison followed by three years probation for embezzlement. Upon release, Moon will be subject to electronic monitoring for four months. Moon must pay restitution in the amount of $31,232 (payable in the minimum of $50.00 monthly installments). On November 1, 2004, Moon pled guilty to embezzling union funds in excess of $15,000 following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On March 29, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, an information was filed charging Bernard Scheller, former secretary-treasurer of Local 14448, Communications Workers, with one count of embezzling $22,250 in union funds. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On March 23, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Denita Cromartie, former secretary-treasurer of Local 2080-VA, American Federation of Government Employees, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and 12 months of supervised probation. In addition, she was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $40,277.90. Cromartie was found guilty on two counts of mail fraud and three counts of false statements during a jury trial on December 9, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On March 23, 2005, in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Dana Lockwood, former treasurer of Local 49, the Asbestos Workers Union, pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling $64,255.55 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On March 23, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Otis Johnson, Jr., former financial secretary of Local 9-9361-S, United Steelworkers, was sentenced to five years supervised probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $9,638.59. He pled guilty to embezzlement on December 15, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On March 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy Burke, former business manager-financial secretary of Local 42, Roofers, was charged with embezzling $31,570 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On March 15, 2005, in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Laura Booth, former secretary-treasurer of Local 3129, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with swindling $18,749.41 in union funds in violation of Federal and state laws. Booth pled guilty in Federal Court for committing a state crime in a federal building. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On March 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Derrick Thomas, former secretary-treasurer of Local 138, Glass Molders Plastics Union, was sentenced to three years probation, with the first six months in home confinement, for embezzling union funds. In addition, he was ordered to: (1) make additional restitution of $3,528.52, (2) pay a special assessment of $100, and (3) complete 200 hours of community service. Thomas had previously made restitution in the amount of $10,297.72 to the union. On November 19, 2004, Thomas pled guilty to the charge following an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On March 3, 2005, in the Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County (Ohio), an indictment was filed against Aunalie Parsons, former employee of the Ohio Nurses Association, charging her with one count of theft of union funds in an amount more than $500, but less than $5,000. In addition, Parsons was charged with two counts of forgery. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On March 2, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Steven R. Fairfax, former secretary-treasurer of Branch 3939, Letter Carriers, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $53,990.54. Fairfax was also indicted on two counts of making false statements in reports. Fairfax's indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On February 28, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, a three-count indictment was filed against George Hines, former business agent of Local 5, Sheet Metal Workers, charging him with two counts of embezzling a total of $144,000 from two employee pension benefit plans and one count of failure to maintain required records on such plans. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office and the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration.
On February 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, an indictment was filed against Pamela Tucker, former president of Local 2525, American Federation of Government Employees, charging her with 28 counts of theft of union funds totaling $6,564.82. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On February 24, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, William E. Stratton, former employee of Local 3, Liquor Distributors Union, John J. Leahy, an insurance broker, and Edward Wisniewski, an insurance agent, were convicted of crimes related to contract and insurance fraud schemes involving the Duff family business enterprises. The first fraud scheme involved more than $100 million in government and private contracts obtained by sham women-owned and minority-owned businesses. The second fraud scheme involved over $3 million in unpaid workers' compensation insurance premiums. Stratton, Leahy and Wisniewski were convicted of the following specific crimes:
- William E. Statton, a long-time friend and associate of the Duff family, and an employee for over 18 years of Liquor Distributors Union Local 3, a union managed by members of the Duff family, was convicted of 11 counts involving racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy; 4 counts of mail fraud; and 5 counts of money laundering involving the contract fraud and insurance fraud schemes.
- John J. Leahy, president of Leahy & Associates insurance brokerage, was convicted of eight counts of mail fraud involving the insurance fraud scheme.
- Edward Wisniewski, insurance agent and vice president of Leahy & Associates, was convicted of eight counts of mail fraud involving the insurance fraud scheme.
These convictions follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the FBI, the IRS, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On February 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Burnest Rose, former President of PACE Local 5-1929, was sentenced to 24 months probation, ordered to make restitution in the amount of $8,295, and required to pay an assessment of $275. He had pled guilty on November 19, 2004, to an 11-count information charging him with falsifying, concealing, withholding and destroying required union records. The information and conviction follow an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On February 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Julie Messick, the former treasurer of Local 2001, Carpenters, entered a guilty plea by plea agreement to one count of a five-count indictment. She pled guilty to embezzling union funds. Messick had previously made restitution in the amount of $9,164. She further stipulated in the plea agreement that she will make additional restitution in the amount of $2,629.85. On December 7, 2004, Messick was charged following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On February 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Michael Koehler, former business manager of Local 965, Electrical Workers, was re-sentenced for embezzling union funds. On February 14, 2003, Koehler was sentenced to two years and one month in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to make full restitution. On November 8, 2002, he pled guilty to embezzling $135,198 following an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office. On September 30, 2004, Koehler was held in contempt of court, and his sentence was tolled between September 30, 2004, and December 16, 2004, for failing to provide financial information and for failing to make restitution. On February 17, 2005, Koehler's sentence was amended to require that he serve 90 days of community confinement following his release from prison.
On February 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Vincent Callaghan, business agent of Local 798, IATSE, was arrested and charged with mail fraud. The charge alleges that Callaghan attempted to convert the Local's headquarters into a condominium and sell two-thirds of the property to his brother and his brother's girlfriend at a "sweetheart" price. The charge further alleges the following: Callaghan filed false documents with the New York State Attorney General's Office in order to have the property converted to a condominium without obtaining outside bids; as a result, the Attorney General's Office approved the condominium conversion by mail without knowledge that the information was false; Callaghan never advised the Local's Executive Board, Board of Directors, and membership of the attempted condominium conversion and subsequent sale to his brother as required in the Local's constitution and bylaws. Callaghan, released on his own recognizance, has been removed from office by the IATSE International Union. The arrest and charge follow an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Brian K. Payne, former office manager of Local 1392, Laborers, was sentenced for embezzling union funds. The sentence consisted of one month home incarceration with electronic monitoring, and three years probation with random drug testing, evaluation, and counseling. Payne was also ordered to pay a $100 court assessment; he had previously made restitution in the amount of $6,605. On October 18, 2004, Payne pled guilty to the charge following an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On February 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Lorraine Edwards, former treasurer of Fellow Associates Involved in Representation (FAIR), an independent union, was sentenced to two years of probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,248.44. On November 8, 2004, Edwards pled guilty to the embezzlement of union funds; concealing, withholding, and destroying financial records; failure to file required reports; and failure to maintain records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On February 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Dean Kirkland, a salesman for Capital Consultants, LLC. (CCL), was sentenced to two years in prison followed by two years of supervised release. In addition, he was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $15,756.20, and to pay a $100 assessment for each of the 24 counts for which he was convicted. On June 16, 2004, Kirkland was convicted of multiple counts of offering and giving gratuities and wire fraud. Also, he was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for lying to federal investigators. Kirkland was charged following an investigation into his role in the collapse of CCL, which involved $350 million in losses, mostly from union pension funds. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office, the IRS, the FBI, the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
On February 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Joy Torrance, former office secretary for Local 1094, Carpenters, was sentenced to five years of probation for embezzling union funds. She was ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $31,640. On November 8, 2004, Torrance pled guilty to the charge following an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On February 7, 2005, an information was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa charging Debra Herrig, former secretary-treasurer of Local 2339, American Postal Workers Union, with embezzling union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On February 3, 2005, in the United States District Court for Nebraska, Terry L. Gloe, former secretary-treasurer for Local 11, American Postal Workers Union, pled guilty to a one count information charging him with embezzling $113,377 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
On January 13, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, James Pearson, former secretary-treasurer of Local 3550, Communications Workers of America, was sentenced to three years probation. Pearson had previously made restitution in the amount of $28,686 to the union. He pled guilty to embezzlement on October 15, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On January 27, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Debbie Samples, former bookkeeper of Local 809, Plasterers and Cement Masons, was sentenced to serve five months in community confinement followed by three years of supervised probation for embezzling union funds. She was ordered to pay a $400 special assessment and make restitution after forfeiture in the amount of $2,400. Samples was convicted on August 11, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
On January 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Glenda A. Woods, former secretary-treasurer of Local 3-543, Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers Union (PACE), was sentenced to five years supervised probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $18,447.92. On September 30, 2004, Woods pled guilty to embezzlement and falsifying union records following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On January 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Gary Miller, former president of Local 2372, United Auto Workers, pled guilty to the embezzlement of union funds in excess of $5,000. Miller was indicted on October 12, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On January 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Glen Johnson, former president of Local 3140, CWA, was sentenced to 12 months probation and 150 hours of community service. Johnson was ordered to make restitution of $24,897.60, pay a fine of $5,000, and pay a special court assessment of $50. On November 9, 2004, Johnson entered a guilty plea to one count of failure to disclose a material fact in a report following an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
On January 19, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Thomas Pogue, former president of Local 32, Glass Molders Plastics, pled guilty to embezzling union funds in excess of $5,000. He was sentenced on the same day to two years probation, assessed $100 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. Prior to sentencing, Pogue made restitution in the amount of $10,153.27. The guilty plea and sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On January 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Grace Maldonado, former bookkeeper of Local 990, United Food and Commercial Workers, was sentenced to five years of supervised probation for embezzling union funds. She was ordered to pay a $100 court assessment and make restitution in the amount of $9,806.80. Maldonado pled guilty on September 3, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On January 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Danny Fuller, former financial secretary of Local 32, Glass Molders Plastics, pled guilty to embezzling union funds. On the same day, he was sentenced to two years probation with six months home confinement. Fuller was fined $2,000, assessed $100, and ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $19,546.19. In addition, he was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. The guilty plea and sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On January 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Caroline Sharp, former treasurer of the Rochester School Bus Drivers Association, an independent union, was sentenced to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service for falsifying union records. On November 1, 2004, Sharp pled guilty to the offense following an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On January 10, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, James M. Duff, principal leader, organizer and manager of the Duff family business enterprise, entered a guilty plea to multiple offenses including the following: racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, 3 counts of wire fraud, 19 counts of mail fraud, 6 counts of money laundering and 3 counts of tax fraud. Duff was indicted in September 2003, for his role in defrauding the City of Chicago by fraudulently obtaining woman- and minority-owned business certifications for two of his companies. In addition, Duff fraudulently obtained government and private contracts for the two companies on the basis of the certification. The guilty plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office, the FBI, the IRS, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
On January 5, 2005, in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas (Ohio), an indictment was filed against Diane Hollins, former president of Local 3283, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), charging her with theft of more than $5,000, but less than $100,000, in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On January 4, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Chris Byron, former office clerk of Local 78, Laborers, was arrested for embezzling $20,928 in union funds between March and October 2003. Byron was released on his own recognizance. He had previously made full restitution and been removed from his position. Byron provided a signed statement to OLMS investigators prior to his arrest in which he admitted to embezzling the Local's funds. The arrest follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
Last Updated: 1-11-19