On Feb. 11, ex-secretary-treasurer of United Steelworkers of Am. Local 35-8681 Donald G. Martin was sentence to five months at a half-way house and five months home detention. Martin was indicted on Mar. 21, 2001, on charges of embezzling $10,591 from the Knoxville-based local, making false entries in union records, and false reporting. Martin was found guilty on all counts by a jury on Oct. 10. In addition to the confinement, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to make restitution of $10,400 and pay $5,075 in special assessments. [DOL 2/11/02]
Probation for $3,800 Ohio Theft
U.S. Dist. Judge Paul D. Matia (N.D. Ohio, H.W. Bush) sentenced William A. Fast, ex-treasurer of United Steelworkers of Am. Local 1013-L (now part of Local 1-3059) in Sebring, Ohio, Feb. 12 to two years probation and fined him $1,000 for embezzling $3,893.71 from the local. Fast pled guilty on Oct. 22 to one count of union embezzlement and has paid $6,914 in restitution. According to his confession to Dep’t of Labor agents, Fast embezzled the funds by using 19 union checks for personal use between 1995-98. He admitted writing false information in the memo section of the checks in order to conceal their true purpose. This false information reportedly included bogus vending machine repairs, stamp purchases, dues refunds, and lost salary. Also, he allegedly claimed expenses for a fictitious Christmas party, Christmas bonus, summer party, and contract negotiation. [USAO N.D. Ohio 2/26/02; DOL 2/12/01]
Michigan Staffer Accused of $32,800 Theft
Lorri Delaney was charged Feb. 6 with embezzling $32,890 from Sheet Metal Workers Int’l Ass’n Local 80 in Southfield, Mich. She was the local’s bookkeeper. [DOL 2/6/02]
Kentucky Boss Admits $14,400 Theft
Raymond F. Pendygraft, ex-financial secretary of Am. Flint Glass Workers Union Local 1009 in Danville, Ky., pled guilty Feb. 20 to one count of embezzling $14,419.23 in union funds from 1996 to Dec. 1999. U.S. Dist. Judge Jennifer B. Coffman (E&W.D. Ky., Clinton) in Lexington set sentencing for June 6. Pendygraft faces a maximum of five years in prison followed by three years supervised release plus a $250,000 fine. Based on his conviction, he will also be prohibited from serving as an officer in any labor organization for 13 years. [DOL 2/20/02; USAO E.D. Ky. 2/20/02]
North Carolina Boss Sentenced for $13,200 Theft
On Jan. 30, Roger Causby was sentenced to four months imprisonment and four months home detention, followed by two years of supervised probation, for embezzling union funds. Causby, ex-secretary-treasurer of the United Food & Commercial Workers Int’l Union Local 427 in Morganton, N.C., had previously pled guilty to union embezzlement and had made restitution of $13,218 He was charged Jan. 9, 2001. [DOL 1/30/02]
Fresno Boss Gets Year for $6,000 Theft
In Kings County (Cal.) Superior Court on Feb. 14, Robert S. Ramos, ex-president of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 193-I in Fresno, entered a plea of no contest to misdemeanor theft. He was sentenced to one year in the county jail, three years probation, and fined $2,700. He was also ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution, $1,000 of which was already paid, over three years. He was charged on Nov. 1, 2001. [DOL 2/14/02]
Arkansas Staffer Indicted for $11,600 Theft
L. Ann Brockman, ex-office secretary for United Ass’n of Plumbers Local 665 in Pine Bluff, Ark., was indicted Feb. 5 on 26 counts of embezzling $11,621 in union funds. [DOL 2/5/02]