2022 U.S. DOL Criminal LMRDA Enforcement Actions
On May 16, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Kevin Crownover, former Treasurer of Machinists Lodge 2947 (located in Armona, Calif.), was sentenced to 25 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervision. Crownover was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,463 and a $200 special assessment. On November 10, 2021, Crownover was found guilty by a jury following a two-day trial of one count of embezzlement from a labor organization and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 1028A, respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On May 11, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, Savannah Division, Connie Deal, former bookkeeper for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 508 (located in Savannah, Ga.), pleaded guilty to one count of making a false entry in a union record, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On May 11, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Anthony Jordan, former Secretary-Treasurer of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Division 26 (located in Chester, Va.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization totaling $30,519, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On May 5, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Melba Norris, an associate of a former employee of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), located in Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 371, respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 29, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Donald Snyder, former President of International Association of EMTs and Paramedics (IAEP), affiliated with National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) Local R2-394 (located in Amherst, N.Y.), was sentenced to three years of probation with the first 12 months as home confinement. He was ordered to pay $94,649 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On July 20, 2021, Snyder pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office with the assistance of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 28, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Peggy Garrow, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3496 (located in Marquette, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of willfully falsifying a labor organization annual report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On April 28, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Kenneth Baumgarner, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1147 (located in Grand Haven, Mich.), was sentenced to one year of probation. He was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Baumgarner previously made restitution totaling $6,600. On January 5, 2022, Baumgarner pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,600, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 26, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Phelton Woods, former Treasurer of the Columbus School Employee Association (CSEA), located in Columbus, Ohio, was indicted on 12 counts of bank fraud for approximately $60,685, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On April 26, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, Anthony Jordan, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Division 26 (located in Chester, Va.), was charged in a criminal information with one count of embezzlement from a labor organization for embezzling $30,519 from the union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On April 26, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Marie LeClair, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2617 (located in Boston, Mass.), was charged in a criminal information with one count of wire fraud in the amount of $3,000 for a scheme to defraud the union and one count of aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 18 U.S.C. 2, respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 15, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Joseph Whitbeck, former Vice President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 274 (located in Allentown, Pa.), was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervision. Whitbeck was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, $32,600 in forfeiture, and a $2,000 special assessment. On November 3, 2021, Whitbeck pleaded guilty to 10 counts of honest services wire fraud and 10 counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 1346, and 18 U.S.C. 1343, respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office, the United States Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 14, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Melba Norris, an associate of a former employee of the Service Employees International Union (located in Washington, D.C.), was charged in a criminal information with one count of embezzlement and one count of one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 371. The criminal information states that Norris was part of a conspiracy to embezzle $503,600 from the union by using the union credit card to pay $60,000 in fraudulent invoices to fraudulent companies and purchasing $204,000 in gift cards for personal use, among other things. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On April 13, 2022, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Michael Oldham, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1900 (located in Taunton, Mass.), pleaded guilty to 26 counts of wire fraud totaling $35,900 for checks written from the union’s bank account, one count of false statements for filing a false LM-3 report, and three counts of filing false tax returns in the amount of $233,970, which resulted in fraudulent refunds totaling $18,237, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, 18 U.S.C. 1001(a), and 26 U.S.C. 7206(1), respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office, the Department of Defense’s Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service.
On April 7, 2022, in the United States District Court, District of Rhode Island, Jesus Jose Mendez, a Woonsocket, Rhode Island businessman (an employer/owner of two construction industry companies – one unionized and one non-union), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 18 U.S.C. 1343, respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Rhode Island State Police.
On April 5, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Peggy Garrow, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3496 (located in Marquette, Mich.), was charged by information with one count of willfully falsifying a labor organization annual report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On April 1, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Jonathon Ortino, former President of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 165 (located in San Bruno, Calif.), was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial on three counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements (related to the LM-3 report), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(2), respectively. The guilty verdict follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 30, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Peter Burns, former Financial Secretary of United Steelworkers Local 5632 (located in Fontana, Calif.), was sentenced to two years of probation. Burns was also ordered to pay $24,619 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On August 13, 2021, Burns pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On March 29, 2022, in the United States District Court of the Western District of Texas, Dorothy Ferguson, former Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2516 (located in El Paso, Tex.), pleaded guilty to one count of theft within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 661. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On March 28, 2022, in the Niagara County Court in the State of New York, Jerome Newton, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1263, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Security Union (located in Niagara Falls, N.Y.), was charged in a felony complaint with one count of grand larceny in the fourth degree for unauthorized and personal usage of union funds in excess of $1,000, in violation of NYS Penal Law 155.30. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston- Buffalo District Office with assistance from the Niagara Falls Police Department.
On March 25, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Timothy Edmunds, former Financial Secretary of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 412 (located in Warren, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling $2.2 million in union funds and one count of money laundering, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 1957, respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
On March 23, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Dawn Munoz, former outside bookkeeper for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1929 (located in El Paso, Tex.), was indicted on four counts of making and subscribing a false return, nine counts of aiding and abetting in the preparation and presentation of a false return, and three counts of bank fraud, in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7206(1), 26 U.S.C. 7206(2), and 18 U.S.C. 1344(2), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General.
On March 22, 2022, in the 404th Judicial District Court of Cameron County, Texas, Michael Paul Garza, former President and Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1093 (located in Brownsville, Tex.), was sentenced to 10 years in the Texas Department of Corrections; the sentence was suspended to 10 years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $6,844 in restitution, a $1,000 fine, and various other court fees. Lastly, he was ordered to submit to random testing for alcohol and/or drugs at the defendant’s expense, to be assessed and/or screened by the Community Supervision and Corrections Department to determine placement in any program and/or caseload deemed necessary by the Texas Risk Assessment System, and to submit to any other programs deemed necessary by the Community Supervision and Corrections Department. On February 15, 2022, Garza pleaded guilty to felony theft of property by a public servant, in the amount greater than $2,500 and less than $30,000, and felony theft enhancement, in the amount greater than $2,500 and less than $30,000, in violation of Texas Statute 31.03(f)(1-3) and 31.03(f), respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On March 22, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Earl Roberts, former President of Steelworkers Local 2-4 (formally located in Yale, Mich., now disbanded), was sentenced to 30 months of probation including six months of home confinement. Roberts was also ordered to pay $45,916 in restitution and a $300 special assessment. On November 30, 2021, Roberts pleaded guilty to three counts of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On March 18, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division, Arthur Penn, former Chairman of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Defense Protective Service Labor Committee (located in Arlington, Va.), was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay $384,001 in restitution. On March 25, 2021, Penn pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On March 11, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, James Michael Foote, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-137 (located in Manchester, Tenn.), was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. Foote was also ordered to pay $86,268 in restitution and a $100 fine. On October 19, 2021, Foote pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On March 8, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Glenn Lovelace, former business manager for Insulators Local 114 (located in Brandon, Miss.), was indicted with one count of embezzling $12,360 from an employee benefit plan and one count of embezzling $51,350 from a labor union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 664 and 29 U.S.C 501(c), respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On March 8, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, Nintay Edwards, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 8-694 (located in Richmond, Va.), was sentenced to 12 months of home detention and five years of probation. Edwards was also ordered to pay $66,684 in restitution. On October 14, 2021, Edwards pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization for embezzling $66,684 from the union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On March 3, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Brian Walker, former Vice President of International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1504 (located in Galveston, Tex.), was sentenced to six months of home detention and five years of probation, and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $38,237 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On December 3, 2021, Walker pleaded guilty to one count of falsification of union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On March 1, 2022, in the District Court of Inglewood, California, Vida Sloan, former Treasurer of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 303 (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft in the amount of $10,039, in violation of California Penal Code Section 487(A). Sloan was then sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $10,039 in restitution. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
On February 28, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Stephen Rooze, former Secretary-Treasurer of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Local 662 (located in Burbank, Calif.), was sentenced to six months in a home detention program and three years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $1,078 in restitution and a $400 special assessment. Rooze previously paid $127,943 in restitution. On August 30, 2021, Rooze pleaded guilty to four counts of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On February 18, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Kenneth Vorlob, former Financial Secretary/Treasurer of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 557 (located in Kenosha, Wisc.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds totaling $12,827, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On February 15, 2022, in the 404th Judicial District Court of Cameron County, Texas, Michael Paul Garza, former President and Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1093 (located in Brownsville, Tex.), pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft of property by a public servant, in the amount greater than $2,500 and less than $30,000, and one count of felony theft enhancement, in the amount greater than $2,500 and less than $30,000, in violation of Texas Statute 31.03(f)(1-3) and 31.03(f), respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On February 2, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Linda Carter Shepherd, former Financial Secretary for Steelworkers Local 14637 (located in Hazard, Ky.), was sentenced to three months of home detention and five years of probation. She was also ordered to pay $39,491 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On June 21, 2021, Shepherd pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On February 2, 2022, in the State of Connecticut, Superior Court District of Hartford, Carey L. Mallach, former Treasurer of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 3949, West Hartford Dormitory Supervisors (located in West Hartford, Conn.), was charged in an information with one count of larceny in the second degree for embezzling $17,800 from the union and two counts of forgery in the second degree in connection with his signing and filing two LM-3 reports, both of which contained false financial information, in violation of Connecticut General Statutes 53a-123 and 531-139, respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office with assistance from the State of Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
On February 1, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Kenneth Vorlob, former Financial Secretary/Treasurer of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 557 (located in Kenosha, Wisc.), was charged by information with one count of embezzling union funds totaling $12,827, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On January 26, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Scott E. Rodgers, President of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On January 21, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, George Bindas Jr., former President of International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1295 (formerly located in Milwaukee, Wisc.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $1,751 and one count of theft from an employee welfare benefit plan in the amount of $18,319, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 664, respectively. The plea agreement stipulates that $220,000 is a reasonable estimate of the actual and intended loss for both crimes. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
On January 13, 2022, in Michigan’s 16th Circuit Court, Jonathan Suminski, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2077 (located on the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.), was charged in a one-count felony complaint for embezzling more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, in violation of MCL 750.174(4)(a). The complaint follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On January 13, 2022, in Michigan’s 16th Circuit Court, Darold Hubbard, former Executive Vice President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2077 (located on the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.), was charged in a one-count felony complaint for embezzling more than $1,000 but less than $20,000, in violation of MCL 750.174(4)(a). The complaint follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office.
On January 6, 2022, in the Jefferson Parish 24th Judicial District Court, Damion Young, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1047 (located in Kenner, La.), pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and was sentenced to inactive probation for six months. Young paid full restitution in the amount of $10,678, and further agreed to pay all judicial fines and fees. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
On January 5, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Kenneth Baumgarner, President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1147 (located in Grand Haven, Mich.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $6,600, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the United States Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
Source: Quoted verbatim from the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (updated by USDOL on 5/24/2022)