On April 9, Edgar Barajas, former financial secretary of United Steelworkers Local 4-1702, filed an Alford plea with the Marlborough Division of the Middlesex District Court of Massachusetts following a charge last August that he stole funds from the Marlborough union. He allegedly had made unauthorized cash withdrawals and debit card purchases totaling $10,279. Under an Alford plea, a defendant does not plead guilty but instead admits that the evidence is sufficient for a conviction should the case go to trial. By agreement with the union, the court will dismiss the case if Barajas pays full restitution and associated court fees within one year. The actions follow a probe by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
