On February 17, in the U.S. District Court for Delaware, Julie Messick, the former treasurer of Local 2001, United Bhd. of Carpenters, entered a guilty plea by plea agreement to one count of a five-count indictment. She pled guilty to embezzling union funds. Messick had previously made restitution in the amount of $9,164. She further stipulated in the plea agreement that she will make additional restitution in the amount of $2,629.85. On December 7, 2004, Messick was charged following an investigation by the Philadelphia District Office of the U.S. Office of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 3/4/05]
Frmr. Bus. Mgr. Resentenced after Failing to Abide by 1st Sentence
On February 17, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, Michael Koehler, former business manager of Local 965, Electrical Workers, was re-sentenced for embezzling union funds. On February 14, 2003, Koehler was sentenced to two years and one month in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to make full restitution. On November 8, 2002, he pled guilty to embezzling $135,198 following an investigation by the Milwaukee District Office of the U.S. Office of Labor-Mgmt. Standards.
On September 30, 2004, Koehler was held in contempt of court, and his sentence was tolled between September 30, 2004, and December 16, 2004, for failing to provide financial information and for failing to make restitution. On February 17 of this year, Koehler’s sentence was amended to require that he serve 90 days of community confinement following his release from prison. [OLMS, 3/4/05]
Sentence in Cap Consultants Case
On February 10, in the U.S. District Court for Oregon, Dean Kirkland, a salesman for Capital Consultants, LLC. (CCL), was sentenced to two years in prison followed by two years of supervised release. In addition, he was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $15,756.20, and to pay a $100 assessment for each of the 24 counts for which he was convicted.
On June 16, 2004, Kirkland was convicted of multiple counts of offering and giving gratuities and wire fraud. Also, he was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for lying to federal investigators. Kirkland was charged following an investigation into his role in the collapse of CCL, which involved $350 million in losses, mostly from union pension funds. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the Seattle District Office of the U.S. Office of Labor-Mgmt. Standards, the IRS, the FBI, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. [OLMS, 3/4/05]
Ex-Secy.-Treasurer Charged in Iowa Fed. Court
On February 7, an information was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa charging Debra Herrig, former secretary-treasurer of Local 2339, American Postal Workers Union, with embezzling union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the St. Louis District Office of the U.S. Office of Labor-Mgmt. Standards. [OLMS, 3/4/05]