On December 12, 2002, in the U.S. Dist. Court for South Dakota, Jo Ann Vaughn, frmr. treasurer of the Intl. Alliance Theatrical, Stage & Picture Operators Local 220, pled guilty to one count of embezzling approximately $33,000 (not exceeding $29,000 in union funds). Vaughn had pled not guilty on October 22 to one count of embezzlement and one count of fraud for causing a false report to be made. She will be sentenced on March 10, 2003. The charges were brought following an investigation by the Minneapolis Resident Investigator branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [USAO, SD 12/12/02: DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Ex-Chattanooga Ofc. Mgr. Charged with Embezzling $28,000
On November 22, in the U.S. Dist. Court for the Eastern Dist. of Tenn., Chris Keith, former office manager of the Building and Construction Trades Council in Chattanooga, was charged in a one-count information with embezzling $28,092 by writing unauthorized checks payable to himself, and by making unauthorized financial withdraws from the Council’s accounts. The charge was brought following an investigation by the Nashville branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [USAO, ED TN, 11/22/02: DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Husband & Wife Sentenced for Embezzlement in W. Va.
Thomas and Deborah Bailey were sentenced on Dec. 9 for embezzling just over $15,000 from the Charleston Musician’s union. The couple will share the responsibility of repaying the funds they stole from Local 136 of the Amer. Fedn. of Musicians. But as the Local’s frmr. president, Mr. Bailey must also spend 15 mos. in prison, and pay a $4,000 fine for the theft he attempted to blame entirely on his wife, the union’s former ofc. mgr. Mrs. Bailey was paced on 5 yrs. probation, and escaped a fine from U.S. Dist. Judge Charles H. Hadden (D. W. Va., Ford). [Charleston Gazette 12/10/02]
Ex-Musician Union Boss Sentenced in Texas Fed. Ct.
On Nov. 19, in the U.S. Ct. for the West. Dist. of Texas, Pedro Ojeda, former secy.-treasurer of Musicians Local 23 in San Antonio, was sentenced to five years probation including six months home confinement and 100 hours of community service. Ojeda was also ordered to pay remaining restitution in the amount of $250. Ojeda pled guilty to one count of embezzlement on September 19, 2002 following an investigation by the New Orleans branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/12/02]
Frmr. Secy.-Treasurer Agrees to Plead Guilty in Penn. Fed. Ct.
On Nov. 26, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the Middle Dist. of Penn., a plea agreement was filed in which Laura L. McClurg, former secretary-treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1195, agreed to plead guilty to one count of concealing union records after a $2,295 shortage of union funds was uncovered. An information was filed on September 3, 2002, following an investigation by the Philadelphia branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/12/02]
Ex-Puerto Rican Union Chief Sentenced for Embezzlement
On Nov. 25, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Puerto Rico, Abdiel Navarro, former administrator, Union General de Trabajadores, Local 1199, SEIU, was sentenced to six months home confinement with electronic monitoring followed by two years probation. Navarro was ordered to make restitution of $33,851.58 and pay a fine of $800. Navarro pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the Atlanta branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/12/02]
Ex-President Sentenced in NC Court
On December 12, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Sullivan Hamlet, former president of Local 2603 of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial & Textile Employees in Greensboro, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. Hamlet previously made $4,567 in restitution and pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the Nashville branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Frmr. Minn. Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Theft
On December 11, in Blue Earth (Minnesota) District Court, Adam Wobbrock, former treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union Local 379-C, pled guilty to one count of theft related to an embezzlement of $3,675.36 of union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the Milwaukee branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Ex-NC President Sentenced to Home Confinement & Restitution
On December 9, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Hugh Credle, former president of Amer. Postal Workers Local 1616 in Roanoke Rapids, was sentenced to six months of home confinement followed by three years of supervised release. Credle was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $6,734 and pay a $5,000 fine. Credle previously made $1,700 in restitution. On August 19, 2002, Credle pled guilty to embezzling union funds following an investigation by the Nashville branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Frmr. NO Secy. Sentenced for Embezzlement
On November 20, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Joyce Griffin, former secretary of the New Orleans Metal Trades Department, was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay restitution of $2,383. Griffin pled guilty to one count of embezzlement on August 14, 2002, following an investigation by the New Orleans branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]
Ex-Miss. President Sentenced for Failing to Keep Govt.-Required Records
On November 15, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, Richard Smith, former president of Electrical Workers IUE Local 770 was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to pay a fine of $2,500. Smith pled guilty to one count of failing to maintain union records on August 22, 2002 following an investigation by the New Orleans branch of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [DOL OLMS 12/19/02]