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On November 29, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Annie Walker, former Vice President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2730 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), pled guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $19,774.13, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On November 29, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Joseph Grygorcewicz, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1566 (located in Tonawanda, N.Y.), pled guilty to embezzling $39,989.72 from his union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Grygorcewicz admitted to writing checks to himself and forging the signature of the union president on the union’s checks. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
On November 28, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Kristine Stephens, former administrative assistant and bookkeeper for Painters Local 567 (located in Sparks, Nev.), was charged with embezzling approximately $80,000 in union funds by stealing over-the-counter cash dues payments, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
On November 26, 2012, in the Adams County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Randy G. Paulson, former Secretary-Treasurer of Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE) of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Sub-Lodge 1125 (located in Adams, Wis.), was ordered to pay $264 in restitution, a $486 fine, and a $37.50 restitution surcharge by January 25, 2013. On the same date, Paulson entered a no contest plea to one count of theft in a business setting of less than $2,500. Paulson previously paid restitution totaling $2,245 prior to sentencing. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On November 21, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, Patricia Race, former President of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 959 (located in Fremont, Ohio), was charged in a one-count indictment with knowingly failing to disclose a material fact in the union’s annual financial report Form LM-3, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
On November 19, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Alan Grayewski, former Chairperson of Utility Workers Local 223 – Office, Professional & Technical Division (located in Dearborn, Mich.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay $9,794.76 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On August 24, 2012, Grayewski pled guilty to one count of failing to maintain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On November 16, 2012, in the Superior Court of Washington, County of Clark, David Currie, former President and Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2583 (located in Vancouver, Wash.), was charged in an information with two counts of theft in the 2nd degree, in violation of WA RCW 9A.56.020 (1)(a)/9A.56.040 (1)(a). The charges followed an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
On November 16, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Frank Rysz, former Secretary-Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1124 (located in New Stanton, Pa.), pled guilty to a one-count indictment for embezzling $12,514.91 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
On November 15, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Joseph Allen, former Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Local 588 (located in Athens, Ga.), was indicted on one count of bank fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344; one count of providing a false statement to a credit union, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1014; one count of filing a false report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b); and six counts of embezzling union funds totaling $3,107.73, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
On November 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Cora Carper, former Political Action Committee (PAC) Fund Manager for the Insulators International Union (located in Lanham, Md.), was charged in a six-count indictment with embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), for allegedly embezzling $502,586 from the union by writing more than 300 checks to cash from the PAC fund. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On November 14, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, James Killingsworth and Billie Jo Killingsworth, former President and former Treasurer, respectively, of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 84555 (located in Webberville, Mich.), were each charged in a one-count information with aiding and abetting each other in embezzling $19,197.02 in union funds by making unauthorized ATM and cash withdrawals from the union’s bank account and using the money for their personal expenses, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 2. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
On November 14, 2012, in the Hennepin County Court of Minnesota, Dennis Earley, former Financial Secretary of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 87140 (located in Minneapolis, Minn.), pled guilty to one count of theft by swindle over $5,000, in violation of Minnesota Statute 609.52, SUBD. 2(4), SUBD. 3(2). Earley was then sentenced to 10 days in a work house, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay a $500 fine. As a condition of probation, Earley will not be allowed to hold union office. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
On November 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Robert A. Stephenson, former Secretary Treasurer of Machinists Lodge 2903 (located in Westville, Ind.), pled guilty to one count of filing false reports, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). Stephenson pled guilty to willfully failing to disclose approximately $18,000 of union funds he disbursed for his personal use. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
On November 13, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Danny L. Hubbard, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1380 (located in Panama City, Fla.), was charged in a 24-count indictment with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta and New Orleans District Offices.
On November 8, 2012, in the Dakota County (Minnesota) District Court, David Westgard, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 65 (located in Mendota Heights, Minn.), was charged with theft by swindle of over $5,000. The complaint alleges that Westgard stole union funds in the amount of $22,710 between August and December 2011. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
On November 8, 2012, in the 4th Judicial District Court, County of Rusk, Texas, Roberto Macias, Jr., former president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2759 (located in El Paso, Tex.), was charged with 3rd degree felony theft of $2,800, in violation of Texas Penal Code Section 31.03. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
On November 8, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Ryan Forbes, former Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 1129 (located in Cartersville, Ga.), was sentenced to eight months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $35,952.57. On August 28, 2012, Forbes pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
On November 7, 2012, in the Texas 176th Criminal District Court, Kemberly Fields, a former Texas commissioned law officer and former President of Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) Local 300 (located in Harris County, Tex.), was sentenced to three years of confinement and was ordered to pay $5,644.40 in restitution and a $5,000 fine. On November 5, 2012, a jury found Fields guilty following a trial for aggregate theft from a nonprofit organization, in violation of Texas Criminal Statute Section 31.03. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
On November 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Doris Taylor, former Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2730 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
On November 6, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Kevin Jones, former President of the Metropolitan Campus Police Officers Union (located in Washington, D.C.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), for embezzling $28,504.96 from the union by making withdrawals at the bank and at ATMs and by making personal purchases on the union’s debit card. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
On November 1, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Robert Misuraca, former District 4 Staff Representative for the United Steelworkers International Union (located in Pittsburgh, Pa.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay $266.53 in remaining restitution plus a $100 special assessment. Misuraca was also ordered to participate in programs for mental health assessment, alcohol rehabilitation, and gambling. On June 25, 2012, Misuraca pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $17,566, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
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Criminal Enforcement Actions 2012
An indictment is a formal accusation or charge based on a finding by a Grand Jury that it is likely that the person charged committed the criminal offense described in the indictment and is the means by which an accused person (defendant) is brought to trial. An indictment raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
An information is a formal accusation of a crime by a government attorney rather than a Grand Jury. An information raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
A charge is an accusation of criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each count is a separate and distinct offense charged in an indictment or information.
A guilty plea is a defendant’s admission to the court that he or she committed the offense charged and an agreement to waive the right to a trial.
A conviction is a judgment based on a jury’s verdict, judge’s finding, or the defendant’s admission that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged.
A sentence is a judicial determination of the punishment to be imposed on an individual who has plead guilty or has been convicted by a jury or judge of a criminal offense.
Source: Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
