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 January 29, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Michelle Simmons, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 390 (located in Grand Island, Nebr.), was sentenced to five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $19,778 and a special assessment of $25. On September 3, 2025, Simmons pleaded guilty to one count of failing to maintain and retain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 436 and 29 U.S.C. 439(a), respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On January 28, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Corpus Christi Division, Robert Cirilo, former President of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 13-1647 (located in Corpus Christi, Tex.), was sentenced to 21 months of imprisonment. Upon release, Cirilo will be placed on probation for three years. He was also ordered to pay $287,368 in restitution. On April 28, 2025, Cirilo pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 29 U.S.C. 501(c), respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. See press release: Southern District of Texas | Former labor union president sentenced for embezzling over $280,000 in union funds | United States Department of Justice
On January 21, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Joe Scott, former Treasurer of International Union of Electrical Workers - Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) Local 81154 (located in Gardner, Mass.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office. See press release: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/treasurer-labor-union-pleads-guilty-embezzlement.
On January 8, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, James Scotti, an employee of Professional Sports Publications, which is a company that conducted business with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 26 (located in Lanham, Md.), was sentenced to three years of probation with six months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay $162,960 in restitution. On November 4, 2025, Scotti pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 1349. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On January 7, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, James Burke, former Financial Secretary of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 549 (located in Huntington, W.Va.), was charged in a one-count information for embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
On January 6, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Max Jaramillo, former Treasurer of Mail Handlers Local 331 (located in Albuquerque, N. Mex.), was charged with two counts of wire fraud for submitting false Form LM-3 Labor Organization Annual Reports and three counts of embezzlement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 29 U.S.C. 501(c), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office. See press release: District of New Mexico | Union Treasurer Charged with Wire Fraud and Embezzlement of Labor Organization Funds | United States Department of Justice
Last Updated: 2-09-26