On January 5, Wayne Mitchell, former longtime president of Communications Workers of America Local 14170, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to two years in federal prison to be followed by three years supervised release for embezzling funds from the New York City union, also known as Mailers Local 6, which represents mailroom employees at several area daily newspapers. He also will have to pay restitution in the amount of $373,555. Mitchell pleaded guilty in April 2010. During October 2004-May 2008, prosecutors charged, he wrote himself about $250,000 worth of payroll checks to himself and diverted more than $100,000 in union funds for personal expenses. Mitchell’s successor, Larry DeAngelis, also pled guilty last April to embezzling some $60,000 in union funds. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
