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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 25th, 2011 | On February 25, 2011, in the United States District Court of the Western District of Wisconsin, Shari Birch, former Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1760-A (located in Superior, Wis.), pled guilty to count one of a 21-count indictment and admitted to embezzling $16,734.54 from AFSCME Local 1760-A. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and the Superior, Wisconsin Police Department. |
| February 25th, 2011 | On February 25, 2011, in theGuernsey County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas,Kandy Dunfee, former Secretary-Treasurer for AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 3020 (located in Cambridge, Ohio), was sentenced to 11 months incarceration with each count running concurrently (suspended), placed on supervised release for three years, and was ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $1,074.60. On January 14, 2011, Dunfee pled guilty to one count of theft and one count of forgery. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| February 15th, 2011 | On February 15, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Deidra Lucas, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 100 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), was sentenced to time already served (one day) and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and pay restitution of $39,403 and a $100 special assessment. On October 14, 2010, Lucas pled guilty to one count of embezzling $5,283.20 of union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office. |
| December 15th, 2010 | On December 15, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Paula Dorsey, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 48 (located in Milwaukee, Wis.), was sentenced to three years probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $180,000. On August 11, 2010, Dorsey pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office. |
| October 14th, 2010 | On October 14, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Deidra Lucas, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 100 (located in Pontiac, MI), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $5,283.20. Lucas is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2011. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office. |
| September 15th, 2010 | On September 15, 2010, in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Brian Wilson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 2804 (located in Warren, Ohio), was sentenced to three years probation and 90 days home confinement. On July 13, 2010, Wilson pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,500. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| August 31st, 2010 | On August 31, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Kelly J. Fahrenkopf, former Vice President of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local 316 (located in West Coxsackie, N.Y.),was sentenced to one year imprisonment followed by three years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,500. On April 20, 2010, Fahrenkopf pled guilty to one count of embezzling over $11,500 in union funds between August 2006 and March 2007. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| August 20th, 2010 | On August 20, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Brenda Bywater, former Treasurer of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees(AFSCME)Local 100 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), was sentenced to twenty-four months of probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $2,920.16 and pay a $25 special assessment. On March 2, 2010, Bywater pled guilty to one count of making false entries in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by theOLMSDetroit District Office. |
| August 11th, 2010 | On August 11, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Paula S. Dorsey, former President of AFSCME District Council 48 (located in Milwaukee, Wis.) pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $532.50. On June 22, 2010, Dorsey was charged in an information with the same offense. The plea follows and investigation by OLMS Milwaukee District Office. |
| July 13th, 2010 | On July 13, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Brian Wilson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 2804 (located in Warren, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,500. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| May 11th, 2010 | On May 11, 2010, in Hamilton County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas, Donald Woods, former President of AFSCME Local 217 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of theft of union funds in the amount of $500.00 or more. Woods was then sentenced to six months probation. Woods previously made restitution in the amount of $1,376. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office. |
| May 3rd, 2010 | On May 3, 2010, in United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Michele Pedersen, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 2746 (located in Astoria, Ore.), was sentenced to three years supervised release and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment penalty. Pedersen previously made restitution in the amount of $8,509. On May 3, 2010, Pedersen pled guilty to falsification of an annual financial report. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office. |
| April 20th, 2010 | On April 20, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Kelly J. Fahrenkopf, former Vice President of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), Local 316 (located in West Coxsackie, N.Y.) pled guilty to one count of embezzling over $11,500 in union funds between August 2006 and March 2007. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| March 2nd, 2010 | On March 2, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Brenda Bywater, former Treasurer of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 100 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of making false entries in union records. On December 16, 2009, an information was filed charging Bywater with the same offense. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office. |
| September 23rd, 2009 | On September 23, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jack Hooks, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 7010 (located in Mansfield, Ohio), was sentenced to two years probation, including six months home confinement with electronic monitoring, ordered to make full restitution, and fined $2,000. On May 1, 2009, Hooks pled guilty to embezzling $15,192 in union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| September 23rd, 2009 | On September 23, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jack Hooks, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 7010 (located in Mansfield, Ohio), was sentenced to two years probation, including six months home confinement with electronic monitoring, ordered to make full restitution, and fined $2,000. On May 1, 2009, Hooks pled guilty to embezzling $15,192 in union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| August 6th, 2009 | On August 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Donna Caltabiano, former President of AFSCME Local 888 (located in Catskill, N.Y.), was sentenced to six months of home confinement and five years of probation and ordered to make restitution of $23,644.76. On March 25, 2009, Caltabiano had pled guilty to embezzling $23,644.76 in union funds between 2002 and 2006.The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| August 6th, 2009 | On August 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Donna Caltabiano, former President of AFSCME Local 888 (located in Catskill, N.Y.), was sentenced to six months of home confinement and five years of probation and ordered to make restitution of $23,644.76. On March 25, 2009, Caltabiano had pled guilty to embezzling $23,644.76 in union funds between 2002 and 2006.The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| May 27th, 2009 | On May 27, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Wendy Bentzen, former information/financial manager for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 72 (located in Jefferson City, Mo.), was sentenced to six months home detention and five years of supervision for the charge of bank fraud. Bentzen was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $32,256.60 and a $100 special assessment. On September 29, 2008, Bentzen pled guilty to one count of bank fraud.The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office. |
| May 27th, 2009 | On May 27, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Wendy Bentzen, former information/financial manager for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 72 (located in Jefferson City, Mo.), was sentenced to six months home detention and five years of supervision for the charge of bank fraud. Bentzen was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $32,256.60 and a $100 special assessment. On September 29, 2008, Bentzen pled guilty to one count of bank fraud.The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office. |
| May 14th, 2009 | On May 14, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Carol Bruno, former Treasurer of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association Region 4 (located in Albany, N.Y.), was sentenced to ten months of home confinement, three years of probation and ordered to make total restitution in the amount of $40,451.03 for embezzling union funds. Bruno was also ordered to enter into substance abuse counseling and attend credit counseling. On January 7, 2009, Bruno pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,118.57. On October 9, 2008, Bruno was charged with embezzling union funds, between March 2004 and March 2006, in the same amount. The sentence follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| May 14th, 2009 | On May 14, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Carol Bruno, former Treasurer of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association Region 4 (located in Albany, N.Y.), was sentenced to ten months of home confinement, three years of probation and ordered to make total restitution in the amount of $40,451.03 for embezzling union funds. Bruno was also ordered to enter into substance abuse counseling and attend credit counseling. On January 7, 2009, Bruno pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,118.57. On October 9, 2008, Bruno was charged with embezzling union funds, between March 2004 and March 2006, in the same amount. The sentence follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| May 1st, 2009 | On May 1, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jack Hooks, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 7010 (located in Mansfield, Ohio), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $15,192.The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| May 1st, 2009 | On May 1, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jack Hooks, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 7010 (located in Mansfield, Ohio), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $15,192.The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| March 25th, 2009 | On March 25, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Donna Caltabiano, former President of AFSCME Local 888 (located in Catskill, N.Y.), pled guilty to embezzling $23,644.76 in union funds between 2002 and 2006.The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| March 25th, 2009 | On March 25, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Donna Caltabiano, former President of AFSCME Local 888 (located in Catskill, N.Y.), pled guilty to embezzling $23,644.76 in union funds between 2002 and 2006.The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| January 7th, 2009 | On January 7, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Carol Bruno, former Treasurer of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association Region 4 (located in Albany, N.Y.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,118.57. On October 9, 2008, Bruno was charged with embezzling union funds, between March 2004 and March 2006, in the same amount. Also, Bruno agreed to pay restitution. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| January 7th, 2009 | On January 7, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Carol Bruno, former Treasurer of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association Region 4 (located in Albany, N.Y.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,118.57. On October 9, 2008, Bruno was charged with embezzling union funds, between March 2004 and March 2006, in the same amount. Also, Bruno agreed to pay restitution. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| September 29th, 2008 | On September 29, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Wendy Elaine Bentzen, former information/financial manager for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) State Council 72 (located in Jefferson City, Mo.) pled guilty to one count of bank fraud. The charge follows an investigation by the St. Louis District Office. |
| June 26th, 2008 | On June 26, 2008, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Zona Albritton, former Manager of General Services for AFSCME (located in Washington, DC), was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by 36 months probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75,446.On April 4, 2008, Albritton pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office. |
| June 23rd, 2008 | On June 23, 2008, in the County Court of St. Lawrence County, New York, June Wilkins, former President of AFSCME Local 625 (located in Potsdam, NY), was sentenced to four months imprisonment followed by five years probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $689.03 plus probation costs in the amount of $3,102. Wilkin had previously made restitution in the amount of $15,730.92. On May 5, 2008, Wilkins pled guilty to two counts of third degree grand larceny. Wilkins admitted to taking over $15,000 from the local. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| April 4th, 2008 | On April 4, 2008, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, Zona Albritton, former Manager of General Services for AFSCME, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $75,446. On March 17, 2008, a criminal information was filed charging Albritton with one count of embezzlement of union funds in the same amount. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office. |
| October 17th, 2007 | On October 17, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Sandra Gorman, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11's ODOT Assembly, pled guilty to one count of falsification of union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| June 22nd, 2007 | On June 22, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Deborah Walters, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 8330, was sentenced to six months home confinement with electronic monitoring, five years probation, and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $25,891.11. On March 15, 2007, Walters pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| June 12th, 2007 | On June 12, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Jeffrey Hohlbauch, former Financial Secretary of AFSCME Local 3600, was sentenced to two years probation for willfully making false entries in financial records. On April 11, 2007, Hohlbauch pled guilty to making the false entries to conceal his embezzlement of $5,073 in union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office. |
| April 30th, 2007 | On April 30, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Sandra Gorman, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11's ODOT Assembly (located in Columbus, Ohio), was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to make full restitution in the amount of $4,642. On October 17, 2007, Gorman pled guilty to one count of falsification of union records.The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| April 11th, 2007 | On April 11, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, Jeffrey Hohlbauch, former President of AFSCME Local 3600, pled guilty to one count of willfully making false entries in financial records to conceal his embezzlement of $5,073 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office. |
| March 15th, 2007 | On March 15, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Deborah Walters, former President of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 8330, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,012. On October 4, 2006, Walters was charged with one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount and five counts of falsification of union records. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| December 7th, 2006 | On December 7, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Nanette Peterson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #2597, was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service, and ordered to make restitution to the local in the amount of $5,409.27 within 30 days. On August 3, 2006, Peterson pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,309.27. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| August 3rd, 2006 | On August 3, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Nanette Peterson, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #2597, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,309. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| February 9th, 2006 | On February 9, 2006 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Michelle Thompson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 11, Chapter 2528, was sentenced to 5 years probation, 100 hours of community service, and ordered to make full restitution. Thompson previously pled guilty to an information charging her with embezzling $2,727.93 of union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| January 24th, 2006 | On January 24, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, William Van Sickle, former Secretary-Treasurer for AFSCME Local 725, pled guilty to embezzling union funds totaling $64,229.40. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office. |
| December 16th, 2005 | On December 16, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Gary Gourley, former President of AFSCME Local 1522, was sentenced to five months incarceration, five months home confinement with electronic monitoring, and three years of supervised release. Gourley was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, assessed a $100 fine, and ordered to make restitution of $63,083.80. Gourley previously pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $63,083.80. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office. |
| December 14th, 2005 | On December 14, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Jackie Sikorski, former Secretary-Treasurer for AFSCME Local 1522, pled guilty to an information charging her with embezzlement of union funds in excess of $10,000 and less than $30,000. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office. |
| November 15th, 2005 | On November 15, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Michelle Thompson, former Treasurer for AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #2528, pled guilty to a one count information charging her with embezzling union funds totaling $2,727.93. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |
| September 20th, 2005 | On September 20, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Gary Gourley, former President of AFSCME Local 1522, pled guilty to embezzling $63,084 in union funds. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Haven Resident Investigator Office. |
| June 1st, 2003 | On June 1, 2003, in Ogdensburg (NY) City Court, John Miller, former secretary-treasurer of AFSCME, Civil Service Employees Association, Local 727, was sentenced to one year of conditional discharge and 100 hours of community service for committing grand larceny in the third degree. Miller pled guilty to stealing $4,743 from his union and made full restitution following an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| March 24th, 2003 | On March 24, 2003, in Onondaga (New York) City Court, John Miller, the former president of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local 727, pled guilty to one count of attempted grand larceny in the fourth degree. He had previously made restitution for depositing two dues remittance checks from CSEA in his personal checking account. The charges had been brought following an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office. |
| January 22nd, 2003 | On January 22, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Jeffrey L. Williams, former treasurer of Chapter 6555, AFSCME Local 11, pled guilty to embezzling $3,312.65 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office. |