As a retired cop, J.C. Stamps was about the last person one would suspect of stealing funds. But he indeed had stolen – and from more than one organization. On June 23, Stamps, a retired detective from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the founder of two separate unions and a security firm, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to embezzling nearly $200,000 over a roughly four-year period from the unions. He had been charged on June 9. The charge and guilty plea follow a joint probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards, Office of Inspector General and Employee Benefits Security Administration.
J.C. Stamps was very active in the security field. He had been a detective with the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. He founded two Washington-based labor unions, the National Union of Law Enforcement Associations (which represented police officers) and the National Union of Protective Services Associations (which represented private security guards). In addition, he had founded a security firm, Stamps Associates, also based in Washington. Unfortunately, he used his positions as a license to steal.
According to court documents, Stamps, 67, a resident of Upper Marlboro, Md., stole a combined more than $190,000 from the unions and the National Union of Protective Services Associations’ Employers Health and Welfare Fund during 2004-08. This included: 1) $48,541 in Health and Welfare Fund American Express card charges for personal items such as hotel stays and clothing; 2) a withdrawal of $36,203 from the fund to pay for legal expenses unrelated to union business; and 3) embezzlement of a combined $109,866 from the two unions. Of that latter sum, over half went to cover debts of Stamps Associates. Much of the remainder went for unauthorized expenses and fraudulent salary payments to a friend, indicated in court documents as “Person A,” the nominal owner of Stamps Associates. As part of his plea, Stamps has agreed to pay $194,611 in restitution and forfeit another $84,745 in funds. Sentencing is scheduled for September 17.