Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
Criminal Enforcement Actions 2012
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 May 16, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, an information was filed charging Libby Stegner, former administrative assistant for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1319 (located in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), with one count of embezzling union funds totaling more than $41,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The information alleges that Stegner embezzled $41,861 in union money by failing to deposit funds and stealing cash she received from union members for dues and other items. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On May 15, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Carol Wethington, former Secretary-Treasurer of Plant Protection Local 103 (located in Dearborn, Mich.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay a $25 special assessment. Wethington previously paid restitution. On February 2, 2012, Wethington pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with making false entries in union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On May 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, James J. Kearney Jr., former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Iron Workers Local 45 (located in Jersey City, N.J.), was sentenced to 30 months of incarceration and three years of supervised release. In addition, Kearney was ordered to make full restitution (the amount to be determined at a later date) and pay a $100 special assessment. On November 11, 2011, Kearney pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling union funds in the amount of $561,365. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On May 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (Northern Division), Renita Dompier, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 283 (located in Baraga, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $8,725.99, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On May 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jeff Agee, former business representative for Machinists Local Lodge 10 (located in Richmond, Va.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,181.62, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On May 8, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Thomas M. Chavez, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 12-659 (located in Questa, N.M.), was sentenced to three years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay restitution of $16,965.54 and a $100 special assessment. On December 2, 2011, Chavez pled guilty to one count of embezzling $16,965.54 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On May 7, 2012, in the St. Louis County District Court of Minnesota, James Michael Hill, former Treasurer of Graphic Communications Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (GCC-IBT) Local 76-C (located in Duluth, Minn.), pled guilty to one count of felony theft by swindle of over $5,000. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On May 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Andrew Irwin, former business manager for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 72 (located in Waco, Tex.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $47,096. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
On May 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Lisa Barnes, former bookkeeper for Plasterers & Cement Masons (OPCM) Local 514 (located in Madison Heights, Mich.), was charged in a one-count information with falsification of union financial records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On May 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Ernest Milewski, former President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Northeast District Council (located in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), was sentenced to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $257,590.26 restitution and a $200 special assessment. Milewski is required to surrender to prison officials on May 21, 2012. On August 9, 2011, Milewski pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and one count of embezzling assets of a health care benefit program, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 669. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office, Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 30, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Victor Rovani III, former business representative for United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 454 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), pled guilty to three counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $8,322. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On April 27, 2012, in the Common Pleas Court of Ross County (Ohio), Jill Ragland, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE) Chapter 782 (located in Portsmouth, Ohio), was charged in an indictment with one count of theft in the amount of $1,385, a fifth degree felony. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On April 25, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jeff Agee, former business representative of Machinists Lodge 10 (located in Richmond, Va.), was charged in an information with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,181.62, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, an indictment was returned charging Salvador Camey, former employee of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (located in Washington, D.C.), with 16 counts of embezzlement from a labor organization totaling $7,258.92, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General in Los Angeles, Calif.
On April 18, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Paul Morales, former Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1477 (located in Taylor, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of willfully failing to maintain union records of unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling $22,829.39, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a). On February 29, 2012, an information was filed charging Morales with the same crime. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On April 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Thomas Coffey, former President of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 912 (located in Lexington, Ky.), was charged in a one-count information for making false entries in the union records during the years 2005 through 2008, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On April 17, 2012, in the Harris County, Texas District Court, Kemberly Fields, former President of Security Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA), Local 300 (located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Tex.), was charged and arrested for embezzling approximately $23,000 in union funds, in violation of Texas Statute 32.45 – Misapplication of Fiduciary Property. The charge and arrest follow an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On April 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Aurora Rios, former cashier for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 872 (located in Las Vegas, Nev.), pled guilty to 21 counts of embezzlement and three counts of falsifying union records. The guilty plea stems from a $320,000 embezzlement from the local involving Rios and two other former employees of the local, each of whom were charged and tried separately. On April 28, 2010, Rios was charged with embezzling approximately $167,500. Rios is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2012. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On April 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Vicki Guynn, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1612 (located in Springfield, Mo.), was sentenced to four months of home confinement and three years of probation. On December 15, 2011, Guynn pled guilty to a one-count information charging her with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, in connection with an embezzlement of $16,081. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 9, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Michael Martin, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3093 (located in Norwalk, Conn.), was sentenced to five years of probation, the first six months of which Martin must spend in home confinement with electronic monitoring. Martin was also ordered to perform 200 hours of community service and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $20,201. Martin previously pled guilty to one count of Theft by Mail by an Employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
On April 9, 2012, in the Crawford County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, Richard Clemons, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer for Steelworkers Local 332 (located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio), was indicted on one count of theft in an amount exceeding $5,000 but less than $100,000. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On April 6, 2012, in the United States for the Eastern District of Virginia, Joseph Meizlik, former President of Security, Police, Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) Local 454 (located in Fort Lee, Va.), was sentenced to four years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $9,122.44 and a $100 special assessment. On January 6, 2012, Meizlik pled guilty to one count of embezzling $9,122.44 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 4, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Stacy Johnson, former cashier for Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 872 (located in Las Vegas, Nev.), was found guilty by a jury of 12 counts of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and three counts of falsifying records union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The trial stemmed from a $320,000 embezzlement from the local involving Johnson and two other former local employees, each of whom are being tried separately. On April 28, 2010, Johnson was charged with embezzling approximately $45,500. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced in August 2012. The verdict follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On March 29, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Tammy Greene, former Financial Secretary for the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 83793 (located in Selma, Ala.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement totaling $31,076.07, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On March 29, 2012, in the Morgan County Circuit Superior Court (Indiana), Cynthia Collier, former Secretary-Treasurer of Carpenters Local 2177 (formerly located in Scottsburg, Ind.), was sentenced 60 days of home detention and two years of probation. Collier made full restitution in the amount of $2,053 at sentencing. On February 23, 2012, Collier pled guilty to theft in the amount of $2,053, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2(a). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On March 21, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District, John Gianonne, former Vice President of Teamsters Local 706 (located in Chicago, Ill.), was sentenced to three months of home confinement, one year of probation, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Gianonne previously paid restitution. On December 7, 2011, Gianonne pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzlement of union funds totaling $11,900, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On March 21, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Edward Kozusko, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 443 (located in Youngstown, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement in the amount of $12,613.20. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On March 15, 2012, in the Justice Court, Las Vegas Township, Clark County Nevada, Rose Marie Sotak, former President/Business Agent and acting Financial Secretary Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1758 (located in Las Vegas, Nev.), was charged with one count of felony theft. The complaint includes a warrant for Sotak’s arrest with a cash and surety bail of $10,000. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On March 15, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Wanda Jackson, former Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 4065 (located in Plano, Tex.), was found guilty by a jury of embezzling union funds in the amount of $41,246.95. On July 13, 2011, Jackson was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The verdict follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
On March 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (Northern Division), Renita Dompier, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local Lodge 283 (located in Baraga, Mich.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $8,725.99, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); one count of falsification of union financial reports, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b); and one count of falsification of union financial records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On March 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Gloria Porter, former President of National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), International Association of Machinists (IAM) Local 2049 and former Secretary-Treasurer of the NFFE IAM Army Materiel Command (AMC) District Council (both located in Las Cruces, N.M.), was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Porter also was ordered to pay $143,457.50 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. On June 30, 2011, after a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted Porter on all 107 counts of an indictment charging her with 105 counts of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
On March 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, an information was filed charging Edward Kozusko, former Treasurer of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 443 (located in Youngstown, Ohio), with one count of embezzlement in the amount of $12,613.20. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On March 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Frank Rysz, former Secretary-Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1124 (located in New Stanton, Pa.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $12,514.91 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On March 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, Laura Dixon, former office secretary for the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters (located in Cleveland, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement. On February 23, 2012, an information was filed charging Dixon with embezzling between $70,000 and $170,218. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office and Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 12, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Kevin Threat, former President of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Local R3-84 (located in Alexandria, Va.), pled guilty to one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661, for stealing $15,505 from the union. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 8, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Pamela S. Hinzman, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1580 (located in Parkersburg, W.Va.), pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $26,260.68. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On March 6, 2012, in the Kandiyohi County, Minnesota District Court, Cherity Perez, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 631 (located in Willmar, Minn.), was sentenced to 15 days of confinement, two years of probation, and ordered to write a letter of apology to Local 631. Perez was also ordered to pay additional restitution of $95.80, a $500 fine, and $90 in court fees. She previously made restitution of $1,144. On February 6, 2012, Perez pled guilty to theft, in violation of Minnesota State Statute 609.52.2(1). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On March 6, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Kevin McKnight, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1390 (located in Laurence Harbor, N.J.), was sentenced to four months of community confinement, four months of home confinement, and three years of probation. In addition, McKnight was ordered to pay $54,603.52 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. McKnight had previously paid approximately $16,000 in restitution. In November 2011, McKnight pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzling approximately $68,000 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On March 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, a criminal information was filed charging Kevin Threat, former President of National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Local R3-84 (located in Alexandria, Va.), with one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States in excess of $1,000, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 29, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, an information was filed against Paul Morales, former Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1477 (located in Taylor, Mich.), charging him with one count of willfully failing to maintain union records for unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling $22,829.39. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On February 28, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Mary Lynn Otten, former Secretary-Treasurer of Musicians Local 26 (located in Peoria, Ill.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay $5,032.50 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On November 15, 2011, Otten pled guilty to filing a false report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On February 27, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Francis Mazzella, employer for members of Painters Local 8A-28A (located in Long Island City, N.Y.), waived indictment and pled guilty to a two-count information charging Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Mail Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1349 and 18 U.S.C. 371. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Poutoa Tuiolemotu, former Financial Secretary for Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers (GMP) Local 50 (located in Seattle, Wash.), was sentenced to one year of probation, 90 days of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $17,250. Tuiolemotu was charged with one count of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) for knowingly and willfully embezzling labor union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On February 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Zeffrey Tibbs, spouse of Marqueeta Tibbs, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 437 (located in Portsmouth, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union finds in the amount of $84,903, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Zeffrey Tibbs was indicted on September 21, 2011. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On February 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Freda Hensley, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-14505 (located in West Logan, W.Va.), was sentenced to five years of probation with the first six months served in home confinement. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $36,489.68 at $100 a month. On October 17, 2011, Hensley pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On February 23, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Jose L. Caraballo-Figueroa, former President of Sindicato Obreros Unidos del Sur (located in Salinas, P.R.), was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release. On March 16, 2011, Figueroa pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
On February 23, 2012, in the State of Texas, El Paso County, William Dempsey, President of Fire Fighters Local 294 (located in Las Cruces, N.M.), was indicted for theft of property of more than $1,500 but less than $20,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code Section 31.03. The charge follows an investigation by OLMS Denver District Office.
On February 23, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, an information was filed charging Laura Dixon, former office secretary for the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters (located in Cleveland, Ohio), with one count of embezzlement in the amount of $170,216, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The information follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 23, 2012, in the Morgan County Circuit Superior Court of Indiana, Cynthia Collier, former Secretary-Treasurer of Carpenters Local 2177 (formerly located in Scottsburg, Ind.), pled guilty to theft in the amount of $2,053, in violation of Indiana Code 35-43-4-2(a). Collier was previously charged with theft on August 5, 2011. Collier’s sentencing is scheduled for March 29, 2012. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On February 21, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Roody Lespinasse, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 04-421 (located in Brockton, Mass.), pled guilty to one count of willfully failing to maintain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a). On February 21, 2012, an information was filed charging Lespinasse with the same crime. Lespinasse agreed to make restitution in the amount of $20,818. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
On February 21, 2012, in the Green Lake County Wisconsin Circuit Court, Nancy Kumbier, former President and Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1144 (located in Berlin, Wis.), was sentenced to 12 months of probation and was ordered to pay $3,505 in restitution. On the same date, Kumbier entered an Alford plea for one count of theft in a business setting of between $2,500 and $5,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On February 21, 2012, in the New York State Court for New York County, Neil Cardoso, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1241 (located in Long Island City, N.Y.), was indicted with a charge of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, P.L. 155.40 (1) for allegedly using an ATM card to make unauthorized withdrawals of approximately $75,000 in cash from the union’s account. Cardoso was arrested on February 28, 2012 by investigators from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and arraigned on March 2, 2012. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 20, 2012, in the General Court of Justice, Superior Court Division for the State of North Carolina, County of Durham, Terry L. Wagner, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2923 (located in Durham, N.C.), was indicted for embezzlement totaling between $7,312 and $7,845. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
On February 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, Brandon Borders, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 997 (located in Camp Hill, Pa.), was sentenced to eight months of home confinement followed by 24 months of probation. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,000 and a $100 special assessment. Borders had already paid restitution of $12,551.16. On September 23, 2011, Borders pled guilty to one count of embezzlement. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On February 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Steven Boyles, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 189 (located in Little Rock, Ark.), was sentenced to one year of probation, 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay a $100 assessment and a $2,500 fine. On September 7, 2011, Boyles pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, a Class C Felony. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
On February 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Robert L. Carr, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer and Business Manager of Plumbers Local 228 (located in Yuba City, Calif.), and his wife Theresa A. Carr, each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to misappropriate labor union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371, and two counts of misappropriation of labor union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Robert and Theresa Carr agreed to pay restitution totaling $120,000 and asked the court for a 30-month and 3-month sentence, respectively. The pleas follow an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
On February 16, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, John McNamee, former President and Secretary-Treasurer of Stage & Picture Operators Local 829 (located in New York, N.Y.), was arrested following the filing of a criminal indictment for embezzling approximately $240,000 in union funds and filing false reports, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 29 U.S.C. 439(b). From January 2004 through February 2011, McNamee is alleged to have used the union’s corporate credit cards to make personal charges. The arrest and charge follow an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 15, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Thomas Conley, former President and Vice President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1738 (located in Latrobe, Pa.), was charged in a two-count indictment for embezzling $15,432.26 in union funds and falsifying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On February 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Guy Masocco, former President of Steelworkers Local 897 (located in Cheektowaga, N.Y.), was sentenced to 10 months of home confinement, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $31,701 in restitution. On August 29, 2011, Masocco pled guilty to embezzling from his union. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On February 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Claude Huff, former Business Manager/President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1385 (located in Dayton, Ohio), was indicted on one count of embezzlement in an amount exceeding $100,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On February 9, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Jose M. Rivera, former President and Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 710 (located in Newark, N.J.), was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay the remaining balance of restitution. The sentencing follows a guilty plea by Rivera regarding one count of accepting an illegal loan as an officer from a union over $14,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
On February 7, 2012, in the Navajo County Superior Court, Christina Carr, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Worker Union (APWU) Local 7008 (located in Show Low, Ariz.), was indicted on one count of theft or embezzlement of an amount greater than $4,000, a Class 3 Felony, in violation of ARS §§ 13-1802(A)(2), 13-1801, 13-701, 13-702, and 13-801. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and Phoenix Resident Investigator Office.
On February 7, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Curtis Reed, a former staff representative of the Steelworkers, AFL-CIO (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $3,694.32 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On February 7, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Robert Misuraca, a former staff representative of the Steelworkers, AFL-CIO (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $17,566.21 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On February 6, 2012, in the Polk County, Minnesota Circuit Court, Michelle Jean Nelson, former President of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7272 (located in Erskine, Minn.), was sentenced to 45 days of confinement, 10 years of probation, and was ordered to pay restitution of $4,634.22, a $100 fine, and $160 in special assessments and fees. On November 4, 2011, Nelson pled guilty to theft by false representation. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office and the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On February 6, 2012, in the Kandiyohi County, Minnesota District Court, Cherity Perez, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 631 (located in Willmar, Minn.), pled guilty to theft, in violation of Minnesota State Statute 609.52.2(1). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On February 2, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Carol Wethington, former Secretary-Treasurer of Plant Protection Local 103 (located in Dearborn, Mich.), pled guilty to making false entries in union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). Wethington was charged with the same offense in a one-count information on September 20, 2011. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On February 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Kelly Dull, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2904 (located in Kansas City, Mo.), pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $32,118.66, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
On January 26, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Joseph Barnes, former National Director for the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Union (located in Washington, D.C.), was indicted on four counts of embezzlement from a labor organization in the amount of $4,380, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office with assistance from the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On January 26, 2012, in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Helen Stupka, former office secretary for the Ohio State Plumbers Association (located in Columbus, Ohio), was sentenced to 11 months of confinement (suspended), four years of community control, and was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $13,372.91. On December 14, 2011, Stupka pled guilty to one count of theft. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On January 26, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Vance Valentine , former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 524 (located in Willis, Tex.), pled guilty to one count of filing false reports with the Secretary of Labor, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On January 25, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Tommy Harris, former Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1230 (located in Griffin, Ga.), was sentenced to four years of probation, 11 months of electronically monitored home confinement, 200 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $24,646.82 in restitution (of which $4,646.82 was outstanding) and a $100 special assessment. On November 17, 2011, Harris pled guilty to one count of embezzlement totaling $24,646.82, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
On January 25, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Marqueeta Tibbs, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 437 (located in Portsmouth, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds in the amount of $84,903, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Tibbs was indicted on September 21, 2011. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
On January 24, 2012, in the United States District Court of Rhode Island, Kenneth Aurecchia, former Regional Vice President of the Plumbers International Union and former business manager for Plumbers Local 51 (located in East Providence, R.I.), pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $107,515 and one count of filing a false tax return in the amount of $17,886. The guilty plea follows a change of plea hearing that was filed on December 1, 2011. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the Department of Treasury’s Providence Office.
On January 23, 2012, in the Fountain County Indiana Circuit Court, Brianna Gates, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 7-975 (located in Fairmount, Ill.), pled guilty to two counts of Theft, Class D Felonies. Gates was then sentenced to three years of probation, 50 hours of community service for each year of her sentence, and was ordered to pay the remaining balance of $1,729 toward the total restitution amount of $3,975. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On January 23, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Sheila Valentine, spouse of Vance Valentine, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 524 (located in Willis, Tex.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On January 23, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Tracy Ford, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Lodge 1528 (located in Modesto, Calif.), was sentenced to five years of probation which includes 10 months of home detention with electronic monitoring (with the exception of work). Ford was ordered to pay $174,100 in restitution and a $125 special assessment. On September 2, 2011, Ford pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and one count of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
On January 20, 2012, in the State of Louisiana, 26th Judicial District, Parish of Bossier, John Wayne Walker, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2000 (located in Shreveport, La.), was sentenced for felony theft. Walker’s sentence was deferred pursuant to Article 893 for five years. He has also been placed on active probation for five years with the following special conditions: (1) comply with Article 893; (2) make restitution of $16,057.75 over probation period; (3) pay $75 per month for supervision fees; and (4) pay a fine of $500 and cost over probation. On January 20, 2012, Walker pled guilty to one count of felony theft of $16,057.75 in union funds, in violation of Louisiana Revised Statute 14:67. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On January 19, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Ronald W. Witt, former business manager of International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 450 (located in Houston, Tex.), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
On January 19, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Joseph Pavone, former President of Laborers Local 560 (located in Waltham, Mass.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay $6,466 in restitution and a $1,000 fine. On October 19, 2011, Pavone pled guilty to three counts of receipt of an unlawful labor payment, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 186. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On January 18, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Carole Reeves, former office manager for Sheet Metal Workers Local 23 (located in Anchorage, Alaska), was charged in an information with one count of embezzling $19,000 in labor union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On January 18, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Linda Favela, former Treasurer of United Steelworkers Local 6703 (located in Riverside, Calif.), was charged with five counts of embezzlement totaling $12,510, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On January 18, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Alyson Harmon, former office assistant and bookkeeper for the now defunct Carpenters Local Union 281 (located in Binghamton, N.Y.), was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay $29,876.57 in restitution. On September 23, 2011, Harmon pled guilty to embezzling $20,481.57 in cash receipts from Local 281. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On January 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Jennine Prince, former bookkeeper/office secretary for Iron Workers Local 3 (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was sentenced to two years of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $494,598.89 and a $100 special assessment. Prince was permitted to voluntarily surrender to begin her prison sentence, but not later than March 30, 2012. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On January 11, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Michael Martin, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3093 (located in Norwalk, Conn.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of mail by an employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the amount of $11,320.61, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1709. In addition, Martin admitted to embezzling $8,880.78 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office and the USPS’s Office of Inspector General.
On January 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Victor Rovani III, former business representative of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 454 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was indicted and an arrest warrant issued for three counts of embezzlement totaling $8,322, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of deprivation of a union member’s rights pertaining to internal union matters. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
On January 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Urbana Division, Natasha J. Bever, former Treasurer of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4202 (located in Rantoul, Ill.), was indicted on one count of issuing unauthorized payroll checks to herself in the amount of approximately $117,378, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On January 9, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Derrick George, former Secretary-Treasurer of Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE), IBT, Sub-Lodge 76 (located in Leon, W.Va.), was sentenced to three years of probation, including eight months of home confinement, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,932.07. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On January 6, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Joseph Meizlik, former President of Security, Police, Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) Local 454 (located in Fort Lee, Va.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling $9,122.44 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On January 4, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Toni Lancaster, former office manager for United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, Millwrights & Machine Erectors Local 711 (located in Portland, Ore.), was sentenced to five months of home confinement, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay full restitution and a $100 special assessment. On September 19, 2011, Lancaster pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $68,403, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On January 4, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Pamela S. Hinzman, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 1580 (located in Parkersburg, W.Va.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $26,260.68 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
Last Updated: 5-22-12
