Tiffany Randle’s remorse probably kept her out of prison. On November 23, Randle, former secretary-treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 652, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan to one day of imprisonment (with credit for time served) and two years of probation for defrauding the Kalamazoo-based union. She also was ordered to pay $23,727 in restitution. Randle had pleaded guilty in August after being indicted in July. The actions follow a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and Office of Inspector General.
Prosecutors alleged that Randle, 47, a resident of Kalamazoo, stole funds from a credit union account sponsored by AFSCME Local 652, which represents employees at Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. She cashed union checks by forging the name of the local vice president and used the funds for her own benefit. At her sentencing hearing, a remorseful Randle, a single mother with virtually no assets, stated: “I am taking full responsibility for what I have done and deeply regret my actions.” Her lawyer added that she is willing to cooperate with prosecutors in the event of future additional charges. Sentencing guidelines had called for a term of between 4 and 10 months.