Despite the frigid temperatures, January appeared to be a busy month for the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards.
Below is a list of criminal actions taken by OLMs in January 2015:
On January 21, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Evelyn Romero, President of United Industrial and Service Workers of America (UISWA), located in Colton, Calif., was charged in a 39-count indictment for conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371); theft in connection with health care totaling $158,709 (18 U.S.C. 669); embezzlement of union funds totaling $4,282 (29 U.S.C. 501(c)); violating the prohibition against certain persons holding office (29 U.S.C. 504); and aiding and abetting (18 U.S.C. 2). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Employment Benefits and Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General.
On January 21, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, John S. Romero, Sr., former President, and John J. Romero, Jr., former Secretary-Treasurer of United Industrial and Service Workers of America (UISWA), located in Colton, Calif., were charged in a 30-count indictment for conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371); theft in connection with health care totaling $158,709 (18 U.S.C. 669); false statement on Form LM-3 (18 U.S.C. 1001); and aiding and abetting (18 U.S.C. 2). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Employment Benefits and Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General.
On January 21, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Danae Romero, Trustee of the United Industrial and Service Workers of America (UISWA), located in Colton, Calif., was charged in a 29-count indictment for conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371); theft in connection with health care totaling $158,709 (18 U.S.C. 669); and aiding and abetting (18 U.S.C. 2). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Employment Benefits and Security Administration, and the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General.
On January 21, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, Athens Division, Cynthia Collins, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 12 (located in Athens, Ga.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On January 16, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Ann Marie Shaffer, former dues clerk for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 58 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $340,267 and a $100 special assessment. On August 7, 2014, Shaffer pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $101,059. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
On January 13, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, an information was filed against Salvatore E. Mauro, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 1236 (located in Salisbury, N.C.), charging him with one count of creating a false report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). On January 14, 2015, Mauro pled guilty to the information. The indictment and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta-Nashville District Office.
On January 13, 2015, in the Perry County Court of Common Pleas, Brian Stoneburner, former Treasurer for Bricklayers Local 44 (located in Newark, Ohio), was sentenced to 90 days of incarceration, five years of probation, 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to make full restitution of $13,235. On November 4, 2014, Stoneburner pled guilty to one count of grand theft. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On January 12, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Cedric Hughes, former Treasurer of the United Union of Professionals (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), was sentenced to probation for five years and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,193, a fine of $2,000, and a special assessment of $100. On September 8, 2014, Hughes pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of labor union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
On January 9, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Ray L. Lineweber, former legislative director for the United Transportation Union Nebraska State Legislative Board (located in Omaha, Neb.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling $102,907 in union funds. On November 19, 2013, Lineweber was indicted on one count of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); one count of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341; and 15 counts of false records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
On January 8, 2015, in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, a criminal complaint was filed charging Maria Del Cupolo, former bookkeeper for Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 300 (located in Oakland, Calif.), with five felony counts, including one count of Grand Theft with an excessive loss of over $65,000, and four counts of money laundering, in violation of California Penal Code 487(a) and 186.10(a) respectively. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On January 8, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Robert Mays, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 561 (located in Lancaster, Ohio), was sentenced to probation for three years, 208 hours of community service, and was ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $24,833. On September 12, 2014, Mays pled guilty to one count of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On January 7, 2015, in the McCracken County, Kentucky Circuit Court, David Lynch, former President and Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 383 (located in Paducah, Ky.), was sentenced to three years of incarceration (suspended to 30 days in county jail while on work release) and a minimum of two years of probation with probation continuing until restitution of $15,805 is paid in full. On October 14, 2014, Lynch pled guilty to felony theft by unlawful taking of more than $500 but less than $10,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
On January 7, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Jonathan Smith, former Financial Secretary of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners Local 2247 (located in Juneau, Alaska), was sentenced to four months of home detention, five years of probation, 250 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $41,770. On August 8, 2014, Smith pled guilty to a single count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
On January 5, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Dale T. Hull, former Secretary-Treasurer for Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Division 261 (located in Herington, Kans.), was sentenced to time served, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,189 and a fine of $2,500. On September 29, 2014, Hull pled guilty to a single count of embezzling union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
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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.
