U.S. Dist. Judge David M. Lawson (E.D. Mich., Clinton) sentenced union embezzler Tamara Miller Oct. 22 to 18 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $152,724 in restitution. The ex-treasurer stole the funds from United Ass’n of Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local 85 in Saginaw, Mich. Miller pled guilty on June 29. Lawson also ordered Miller to serve 36 months of supervised release after prison plus pay a $100 fee.
Miller reportedly spent the money on her family. Local bosses became suspicious in Aug. 2000. When Miller went on vacation, they inspected the books and found a discrepancy. Miller and Local 85 president Scott Garrison started at the local 20 years ago. “She was like family, and everybody trusted her,” he said. “It was a bad deal, and it broke a lot of hearts.” [Saginaw (Mich.) News 10/25/01; USAO E.D. Mich. 10/23/01]
Nebraska Boss Embezzled $65,200, Gets 4 Months
U.S. Dist. Judge Richard G. Kopf (D. Neb., H.W. Bush) sentenced Connie J. Ogg, ex-secretary-treasurer of the Communications Workers of Am. Local 7401 in Grand Island, Neb., Oct. 19 to 4 months in prison for embezzling union funds. From 1996 to 2000, Ogg embezzled $65,285.57 by writing unauthorized checks to herself or by forging the local president’s signature. Ogg pled guilty on Aug. 1.
Kopf ordered Ogg to make full restitution and pay a $100 fine. She also must serve 4 months home confinement with electronic detention which is to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. She must also perform 200 hours of community service. The conviction precludes Ogg from serving as an officer in any labor organization for 13 years. [DOL 10/19/01; USAO D. Neb. 10/23/01]
Charleston Boss Embezzled $22,000
On Oct. 23, 2001, Earnest W. Carter, ex-business manager and financial secretary of Sheet Metal Workers Local 399 in Charleston, S.C., was sentenced by U.S. Dist. Judge David C. Norton (D.S.C., H.W. Bush) to 5 months imprisonment followed by 5 months in a halfway house and 2 years probation. He was ordered to make restitution to Local 399 of $22,092.82. Carter pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds on Aug. 7. [DOL 10/23/01; USAO 11/8/01]
Wisconsin Boss Stole $21,300 from Local
Ex-secretary-treasurer of Local 736 of the Paper, Allied-Indus. Chemical & Energy Workers Int’l Union, Shawn Drake pled guilty Oct. 26 to one count of embezzlement of union funds in U.S. Dist. Court for the E. Dist. of Wis. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison, 3 years probation, and ordered to pay $21,376 in restitution. Drake was indicted on Feb. 14. [DOL 10/26/01]
Illinois Thief Gets 3 Years Probation
On Oct. 18, Rhonda Ostendorf, ex-office secretary of Int’l Bhd. of Painters & Allied Trades Dist. Council 58, was sentenced in U.S. Dist. Court for the S. Dist. of Ill. to 3 years probation and ordered to pay $6,331 restitution. She pled guilty to embezzling union funds and falsifying union records on June 27. [DOL 10/18/01]
South Carolina Boss Indicted for $6,900 Theft
In U.S. Dist. Court for the Dist. of S.C. on Oct. 23, Paul Morgan was indicted on one count of embezzling $6,950 in union funds. He allegedly embezzled the funds from June 1997 to August 2000. Morgan is the ex-secretary-treasurer of Am. Fed’n of Musicians Local 694 near Columbia, S.C. [DOL 10/23/01; USAO 10/23/01]
Ohio Boss Allegedly Stole $3,800
On Oct. 22, William A. Fast, ex-treasurer of United Steelworkers of Am. Local 1013-L in Sebring, Ohio, was charged with one count of embezzling $3,893.71 in union funds. The case has been assigned to U.S. Dist. Judge Paul D. Matia (N.D. Ohio, H.W. Bush). [DOL 10/22/01; USAO N.D. Ohio 10/22/01]