Stacy Johnson might consider getting some new friends. Last Thursday, August 23, Johnson, a cashier for Laborers International Union of North America Local 872, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada to a year in prison for embezzling funds from the Las Vegas union. She also will have to pay $53,500 in restitution. Johnson, along with two other office employees, had been indicted in April 2010 following an investigation by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. She was convicted by a jury this past April and must report to prison by November 21.
Johnson, now 41, a resident of nearby Henderson, Nev., was a cashier for Local 872 during 2006-09. Unfortunately, she saw an opportunity to line her pockets with union cash. Court records indicate Johnson would collect $500 in member initiation fees and $90 in initial dues, and keep most of the money. She also falsified information on union financial reports. A Labor Department probe concluded that Johnson, along with local employees Aurora Rios and Aundrea Valerio, had ripped off around $225,000, respectively, accounting for roughly $45,500, $167,500 and $13,500. The total attributable to Johnson would be raised to $53,500. Johnson chose to go to trial and was convicted this April 4 on seven counts of embezzlement and three counts of records fraud. Rios pleaded guilty six days later to 21 counts of embezzlement and three counts of records fraud. Valerio’s case is still active. Local 872 no doubt since has been vetting applicants for office jobs more carefully.
Related:
Two Office Employees of Las Vegas LIUNA Local Guilty of Theft, Records Fraud