Government Employees

Embezzlement Charges

Office of Labor-Management Enforcement

The Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) conducts both civil and criminal investigations of alleged violations of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) and related laws.

These investigations by OLMS District Offices involve issues such as embezzlements of union funds, union officer elections, the filing of required reports by unions and others with OLMS, and the imposition of trusteeships over subordinate unions by a parent body. These investigations may result in legal enforcement actions.

Date	Description
January 4th, 2011	On January 4, 2011, in the United States District Court of South Carolina, Fleisha Jackson, former Treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1909 (located on Ft. Jackson, S.C.), was indicted for embezzling funds within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States in the amount of $18,794.73.The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
October 15th, 2010	On October 15, 2010, in Circuit Court for Arlington County, Virginia, Richard James, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1402 (located in Arlington, VA), was sentenced to two years incarceration (all suspended), two years supervised probation, and 75 hours of community service for embezzling $9,850 from the union in violation of Section 18.2-111 of the Virginia Code. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Arlington County Police Department.
August 4th, 2010	On August 4, 2010, in the United States District Court of Northern California, Duane DeJoie, former President of AFGE Local 1223 (located in Oakland, Calif.), was charged with theft and embezzlement within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States in the amount of $5,369. The charge follows an investigation conducted by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
July 12th, 2010	On July 12, 2010, in United States District Court for the District of Western Washington, Sid Mannetti, former President of AFGE Local 1170 (located in Seattle, Wash.), was sentenced to twenty-four months of probation with six months of home confinement and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $50,463. On January 25, 2010, Mannetti was charge with embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
July 8th, 2010	On July 8, 2010, in Circuit Court for Arlington County, Virginia, Richard James, former President of AFGE Local 1402 (located in Arlington, Va.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement greater than $200 associated with his embezzling unions funds in the amount of $1,550. James previously made restitution in the amount of $9,850. The plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Arlington County Police Department.
May 18th, 2010	On May 18, 2010, in General District Court for Arlington County, Virginia, Richard James, former President of AFGE Local 1402, was charged with embezzling union funds in the amount of $1,550. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
September 4th, 2009	On September 4, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Don C. Padgett, former secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1304 (located in Greenville, Ill.), was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of mail fraud relating to an embezzlement of $185,042. Full restitution was ordered following release from incarceration. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
September 4th, 2009	On September 4, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Don C. Padgett, former secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1304 (located in Greenville, Ill.), was sentenced to 21 months in prison for one count of mail fraud relating to an embezzlement of $185,042. Full restitution was ordered following release from incarceration. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
June 9th, 2009	On June 9, 2009, in the Brockton, Massachusetts District Court, a criminal complaint was filed charging Joseph Morena, former President of AFGE Locals 25 and 86 (located in Brockton, Mass. and West Roxbury, Mass.), with one count of larceny over $250 for embezzling $7,696 from the two locals.The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
June 9th, 2009	On June 9, 2009, in the Brockton, Massachusetts District Court, a criminal complaint was filed charging Joseph Morena, former President of AFGE Locals 25 and 86 (located in Brockton, Mass. and West Roxbury, Mass.), with one count of larceny over $250 for embezzling $7,696 from the two locals.The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
March 17th, 2009	On March 17, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Don C. Padgett, former secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1304 (located in Greenville, Ill.), was indicted for one count of mail fraud relating to an embezzlement of $186,997. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
March 17th, 2009	On March 17, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Don C. Padgett, former secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1304 (located in Greenville, Ill.), was indicted for one count of mail fraud relating to an embezzlement of $186,997. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
October 6th, 2008	On October 6, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Karimah Bailey, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 3197 (located in Seattle, Wash.), was sentenced to twelve months and one day in jail, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $98,802.17. On April 4, 2008, Bailey pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $85,412, and making a false statement and representation of a material fact, knowing it to be false, on the locals annual financial report. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
June 26th, 2008	On June 26, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Michelle Meek, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 3435 (located in Columbus, Ohio), was sentenced to five years probation, 50 hours of community service, and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $7,278.On April 1, 2008, Meek pled guilty to embezzlement within a special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Housing and Urban Developments Office of the Inspector General.
April 24th, 2008	On April 24, 2008, in the Cambria County Court, Pennsylvania, Richard J. Vincent, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 3951 (located in Altoona, Pa.), was charged in a criminal complaint with two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $43,694.85. The charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office, and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
April 7th, 2008	On April 7, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Michael Rutowski, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 2913 (located in Blaine, Was.) was sentenced to one day in jail, two years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling union funds in the amount of $71,295.75 and making a false statement and representation of a material fact, knowing it to be false, on the locals annual financial report. On January 18, 2008, Rutowski pled guilty to one count of making a false and fraudulent representation to a federal agency. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
April 4th, 2008	On April 4, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Karimah Bailey, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 3197, (located in Seattle, Was.), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $85,412, and making a false statement and representation of a material fact, knowing it to be false, on the locals annual financial report. On March 19, 2008, Bailey was charged with making a false statement and representation of a material fact, knowing it to be false, on the locals annual financial report. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
March 6th, 2007	On March 6, 2007, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Court, Christine Smith, former President of AFGE Local 2028, pled guilty to one count of theft by deception and one count of forgery. Smith was sentenced to seven years probation for each count to run consecutively and required to make restitution in the amount of $64,299. Smith was also barred from holding union office for 13 years. Prior to sentencing, Smith made an initial restitution payment of $3,000. Additionally, the court ordered Smith to sell or re-finance any properties she owned to pay the restitution, and set July 31, 2007 as the expected date for Smith to make "a significant and substantial payment" toward restitution or she will be incarcerated. On April 17, 2006, Smith was charged with 53 counts of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
December 14th, 2006	On December 14, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Josefina Suarez Gonzales, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1662, was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $27,405. On June 8, 2005, Gonzales pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
November 15th, 2006	On November 15, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Mary Love, former President of AFGE Local 96, was convicted on two counts of filing false reports and three counts of felony theft for filing false Form LM-3 reports and embezzling from the union. In a related case, Danna France, former Financial Secretary for AFGE Local 96, pled guilty to filing a false report. The trial, conviction, and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
September 26th, 2006	On September 26, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Mary Garner, former President of AFGE Local 3653, was sentenced to five years probation, six months of which must be served in home detention, and 360 hours of community service. Garner was also ordered to make restitution to the union in the amount of $11,959.35. On June 26, 2006, Garner pled guilty to embezzling $12,194 from the union. The sentence follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
June 8th, 2006	On June 8, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Josefina Suarez, former President of AFGE Local 1662 pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. On October 27, 2004, Suarez was indicted on 67 counts of embezzlement. As part of the plea agreement, Suarez must make restitution of up to $27,400. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
April 17th, 2006	On April 17, 2006, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Court, Lynda Holley, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFGE Local 2028, was charged with eight counts of embezzling $4,404 in union funds. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
April 17th, 2006	On April 17, 2006, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Court, Christine Smith, former President of AFGE Local 2028, was charged with 53 counts of embezzling $64,299 in union funds. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
March 9th, 2006	On March 9, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Jerry LeBlanc, former President of AFGE Local 2250, pled guilty to one count of embezzlement within a special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States in the amount of $46,151.51 in union funds. LeBlanc was indicted on November 8, 2005. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office and the Department of Veteran Affairs' Office of the Inspector General.
February 8th, 2006	On February 8, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, Laura Booth, former Secretary-Treasurer for American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3129, was sentenced to two years probation and assessed $100. On March 15, 2005, Booth pled guilty to an information charging her with embezzling $18,749.41 from the union. The sentence follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
January 13th, 2006	On January 13, 2006, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, McKean County Court, Richard D. Yovichin, II, former President of AFGE Local 3974, was charged in a criminal complaint with three counts of embezzling union funds totaling $3,725.49. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
October 27th, 2004	On October 27, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Josefina Suarez Gonzalez, former president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1662, was indicted on 67 counts of embezzlement. The indictment alleges that Suarez Gonzalez embezzled $27,404.25 in union funds by writing unauthorized checks to cash and to herself in the amount of $23,504, and to her daughters in the amount of $3,900. The indictment supercedes an information filed September 17, 2004, charging Suarez Gonzalez with one count of embezzlement and one count of making false entries in union records. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
September 7th, 2004	On September 7, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, Michael Volek, former president and treasurer of AFGE Local 2441, pled guilty to one count of bank fraud. On July 8, 2004, Volek was indicted on one count of bank fraud for embezzling $14,491.56 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
September 18th, 2003	On September 18, 2003, Clyde L. Spearman, former president of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1206, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Oakland, California, on two counts of bank fraud. The indictment stated that between September 1998 and May 2001, Spearman embezzled approximately $15,000 in union funds by writing unauthorized checks against the union's bank account. Spearman served as president of the Martinez, California Local from early 1997 until March 2001, when he was suspended for financial misconduct. In December 2001, following an internal AFGE proceeding, Spearman was removed from office and barred from membership for 13 years. The current indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office and the Veterans Affairs Department's Inspector General's Office.
October 18th, 2002	On October 18, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Verlia Jones, former secretary-treasurer of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), New York/New Jersey Veterans Administration Council, and former president of AFGE Local 1012, was arrested and arraigned for the embezzlement of $44,988.84 from both labor organizations. A review of the VA Council's financial books and records, including credit union statements, copies of canceled checks, and receipt records revealed that Jones used union funds for her own use by negotiating union checks to herself and authorizing union checks to third parties on her behalf. In addition she negotiated for her personal use per-capita tax checks intended for the VA Council. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
June 15th, 2001	On June 15, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Gary Monsson, former secretary-treasurer of AFGE Local 3000, pled guilty to an information charging him with embezzling $51,464.49 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.

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