A seven-year prison sentence imposed on an ex-boss official of the Chicago Truck Drivers, Helpers & Warehouse Workers Union convicted of misappropriating union employee benefit funds was vacated May 7 by the U.S. Dist. Court in Chicago. Paul Glover, the ex-vice president and general counsel of the union, had been found guilty of a number of federal offenses involving a series of investments that he arranged to be made with money from the union’s benefit funds. He was convicted during a jury trial of one count of conspiracy in violation of the Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act; 11 counts of soliciting and receiving kickbacks; two counts of money laundering; and four counts of tax evasion.
Glover was sentenced to 84 months incarceration and was required to forfeit $325,000 he received in kickbacks from the investments. On Glover’s motion, the court vacated the 84-month sentence, finding that his sentencing range was incorrectly calculated because his money laundering offenses should have been grouped with his conspiracy and kickback offenses. In so ruling, the district court found that Glover’s attorney’s performance “fell outside the wide range of competent representation for failing to adequately argue the grouping issue at sentencing and for failing to raise the issue on direct appeal.” By grouping the offenses, Glover’s sentence would result in a prison sentence ranging from 63 months to 78 months, the court said. [BNA 5/18/01]