On July 28, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Oregon, Joy Torrance, former ofc. secy. of Local 1094 of the United Bhd. Of Carpenters, was indicted for embezzling approximately $39,881 in union funds. The charge alleged that she wrote unauthorized pay checks to herself and third parties from the union’s checking, savings and money market accounts. The charge further alleged that Torrance used the union’s business credit card without authorization. The indictment follows an investigation by the Seattle Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 8/12/04]
Ex-Treasurer Pleads Guilty in Ark. State Court
John Steele Price pled guilty on Aug. 13 to stealing more than $15,000 from Local 884 of the United Steel Wrkrs. Union in an Ark. Court. Based on his plea agreement, Price will serve 1 yr. in jail. He has already repaid $15,362 to the union. But he will also have to repay about $10,000 to a bank and credit union that lost money due to checks that he forged.
The money was discovered missing from the union’s account after an audit of union funds last year. When questioned by authorities, Price admitted to using his position as treasurer to steal the money in increments from April 2001 through Nov. 2003. Price forged the names of at least 3 other union officials during that period. Questioned by Fifth Circ. Judge Dennis Sutterfield during the hearing, Price said he took the funds to help a girlfriend who was having financial difficulty. [Russellville Courier, 8/13/04]
“Gentle Giant” Gets Light Sentence for Extortion
U.S. Dist. Judge Frederic Block (E.D. N.Y., Clinton) sentenced Richard Bondi to 4 yrs., 9 mos. for helping the Gambino crime family — headed by Peter Gotti — extort officials of the Intl. Longshoremen’s Assn. That sentence was only half of what fed. prosecutors had sought. “My sense of you is you might be a gentle giant,” Judge Block said to the approx. 6-ft., 300-lb extortionist, whose job was to show up at his victims’ homes with threatening messages from Gotti. [New York Post, 8/13/04]
Frmr. Fin. Secy. Sentenced in Illinois Fed. Court
On July 28, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for North. Illinois, Jose Delgadillo, the frmr. Fin. Secy. of United Auto Wrkrs. Local 1066, was sentenced to 6 mos. home confinement and 3 yrs. probation for stealing $12,185 in union funds. Delgadillo was ordered to make full restitution, to continue participating in drug rehabilitation programs, and to remain drug free. He was also ordered to pay a special assessment of $100. The sentence follows an investigation by the Chicago Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 8/12/04]
Ex-Pres. Pleads Guilty to Falsification in Va. Fed. Court
On July 23, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Western Virginia, James L. Power, IV, frmr. president of the Virginia Loomis Fargo Employees Union, plead guilty to one count of filing a false report and one count of failure to file a report. On April 15, Power was indicted on those two counts and five counts of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $7,300. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the Wash., D.C. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 8/12/04]
Ex-Fin. Secy. Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement in Indiana Fed. Court
On July 21, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Northern Indiana, Sandra Linder, frmr. Fin. Secy. of United Auto Wrkrs. Local 1317, entered a plea agreement in which she agreed to plead guilty to one count of embezzling more than $10,000 in union funds. On May 26, Linder was charged with embezzlement following an investigation by the Chicago Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 8/12/04]
Ex-Secy.-Treasurer Sentenced in Ohio Fed. Court
On Aug. 6, in the U.S. Dist. Ct. for Southern Ohio, C. Michael Vencill, ex-secy.-treasurer of Local 101-473 of the Amer. Fedtn. Of Musicians, was sentenced to 3 yrs. probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,488 and court fees of $150. On March 26, Vencill pled guilty to one felony count of embezzling union funds and two misdemeanor counts of submitting false reports to the Department of Labor. The sentencing follows an investigation by the Cincinnati Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 11/12/04]
Ex-President Charged with Embezzlement in RI Fed. Court
On July 20, 2004, in the U.S Dist. Ct. for Rhode Island, Norman Fugere, frmr. president of American Postal Wrkrs. Local 395, was charged with embezzling $12,240 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the Boston Dist. Ofc. of the U.S. Ofc. of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 8/12/04