Guilty Pleas

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
February 24th, 2012	On February 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Freda Hensley, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-14505 (located in West Logan, W.Va.), was sentenced to five years of probation with the first six months served in home confinement. She was also ordered to pay restitution of $36,489.68 at $100 a month. On October 17, 2011, Hensley 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 Pittsburgh District Office.
October 17th, 2011	On October 17, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Freda Hensley, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-14505 (located in West Logan, W.Va.), pled guilty to a one count indictment of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) for embezzling $38,539.68 in union funds. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
April 28th, 2011	On April 28, 2011, in Chesapeake, Virginia Circuit Court, Larry Brooks, former President of Steelworkers Local 08-543 (located in Norfolk, Va.), pled guilty to embezzlement of a value of $200 or more, in violation of 18.2-111 of the Code of Virginia. Brooks embezzled $5,500 from the union by making withdrawals from the union’s bank account. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
January 14th, 2008	On January 14, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Terry Howell, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-505, was sentenced to three years supervised probation, including six months of house arrest, ordered to pay restitution, and fined $2,000 for embezzling $13,210 in union funds. On October 26, 2007, Howell pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
October 26th, 2007	On October 26, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Terry Howell, former president of Steelworkers Local 8-505, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $13,210 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the Cincinnati District Office.
October 18th, 2002	On October 18, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, former Vice-President Rhonda L. Creed and former Financial-Secretary Joseph W. Burress of Steelworkers Local 8-9336 were both sentenced to three years probation. Ms. Creed was ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $3,122.64. Mr. Burress was ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $3,100.10 and was sentenced to six months home confinement with electronic monitoring. On July 11, 2002, Mr. Burress pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds and to make false entry in union books and two counts of embezzlement of union funds. On July 12, 2002, Ms. Creed pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, Roanoke Office.