On May 10, in the Ventura County Superior Ct., James D. Torrez, frmr. president of the Assn. of Civilian Technicians Chapter 105, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $9,801 in union funds. Torrez had been charged with two counts of embezzlement on July 21, 2003. The charges and guilty plea follow an investigation by the Los Angeles Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 5/19/04]
Ex-Bookkeeper Charged with Theft in Wash. State Court
On May 7, in the Superior Court of Wash. for Snohomish County, a 5-count information was filed against Dorothy Weber, frmr. bookkeeper for the N.W. Sheet Metal Workers Organization Trust, charging her with first-degree theft. Weber allegedly took over $400,000 from the fund without authorization by writing over fifty checks to herself in amounts ranging from $985 to over $5,000. The charge follows a joint investigation by the Seattle Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor Mgmt. Standards., the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Ofc. of the Inspector General and the Employee Benefits Security Admin. [OLMS, 5/14/04]
Former Secy.-Treasurer Sentenced in NM Fed. Court
On May 5, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the Dist. of N.M., Rose Erma (Irma) Elizaldez, frmr. secy.-treasurer for Natl. Fdtn. of Fed. Employees, Local 1031 of the Intl. Assn. of Machinists, was sentenced to six months home confinement and one year probation for misdemeanor receiving stolen property (approximately $500.00). She was not ordered to pay restitution since she had previously repaid $26,655 to the union; however, she was assessed $25. Elizaldez pled guilty on February 6 following an investigation by the Denver Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 5/19/04]
Former Financial Secy. Charged with Embezzlement in La. Fed. Court
On May 4, in the U.S. Dist. Court for the West. Dist. of La., an indictment was filed against Rita Cloud, frmr. financial secy. of United Steel Wrkrs. Local 13314, charging her with one count of embezzling $16,988 in union funds and one count of concealment/destruction of union records. The charges follow an investigation by the New Orleans Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 5/14/04]
Ex-Rep. Confesses to Embezzlement in N.C. Fed. Court
On May 3, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for the East. Dist. of N.C., a 2-count information was filed against Angelous “Smokey” Lineback, frmr. intl. rep. for the Retail, Wholesale Dist. Council of the United Food and Commercial Wrkrs. Local 1050. The information charged him with one count of embezzling $182,443 in union funds and one count of making false entries in union records. On the same date, Lineback entered a plea agreement and pled guilty. The charge and subsequent plea follow an investigation by the Nashville Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 5/14/04]