Indictments

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
October 4th, 2022	On October 4, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), John DeFalco, former Vice President of Carpenters Local 157 (located in New York, N.Y.), was sentenced to three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $148,213 in restitution as well as $149,735 in forfeiture. On June 25, 2019, DeFalco and Salvatore Tagliaferro, former President of Carpenters Local 926 (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a New York City District Council of Carpenters Representative, were indicted as co-conspirators on multiple charges for a scheme to sell union books or membership cards (union property) in exchange for cash bribes. On October 27, 2020, DeFalco pleaded guilty to conspiracy, conversion of union assets, honest services wire fraud, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, false statements, and distribution of oxycodone, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371; 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 2; 18 U.S.C. 1343, 1346 and 2; 18 U.S.C. 1512 (b)(1) and 2; 18 U.S.C. 1512(b)(2)(A) and 2; 18 U.S.C. 1001; and 21 U.S.C. 812, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). In 2021, following a jury trial, Tagliaferro was found guilty of conspiracy, conversion of union assets, and honest services wire fraud, sentenced to five years in prison, and was ordered to pay $145,065 in restitution and $296,400 in forfeiture. The sentencings follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the Public Corruption Unit of the U.S. Attorneys Office SDNY, the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General, and the New York City Department of Investigation.
June 25th, 2019	On June 25, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Salvatore Tagliaferro, President of Carpenters Local 926 (located in Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a New York City District Council of Carpenters Representative, and John DeFalco, Vice-President of Carpenters Local 157 (located in New York, N.Y.), were indicted on multiple charges for an alleged scheme to sell union ÄúbooksÄù or membership cards (union property) for cash bribes. Both were charged with embezzlement of union assets and aiding and abetting an embezzlement (29 U.S.C. 501c and 18 U.S.C. 2), conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371), as well as honest services wire fraud (18 U.S.C. 1346 and 1343). DeFalco was also charged with obstruction of justice (18 U.S.C. (b)(1)) and witness tampering (18 U.S.C. 1512 (b)(2)(A)). The charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the US AttorneyÄôs Office for the Southern District of New York, the Department of LaborÄôs Office of Inspector General, and the New York City Department of Investigation.
December 17th, 2018	On December 17, 2018, in the Jefferson County Circuit Court for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Robin Ray Bishop, former Financial Secretary of Carpenters Local 2501 (located in Louisville, Ky.), was indicted on one count of theft by deception over $500, nine counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, and one count of falsifying business records, in violation of K.R.S. 514.040, 516.060, and 517.050, respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
June 29th, 2015	On June 29, 2015, in the Bexar County 175th Judicial District Court, Cathy Gaffney, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 14 (located in San Antonio, Tex.), was indicted on one count of Theft Between $1,500 and $20,000, in violation of Texas Statute 31.03. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
May 5th, 2015	On May 5, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington, John P. Jones, former Financial Secretary for United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) Local 59 (located in Spokane, Wash.), was indicted on a single count of embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment followed an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
April 16th, 2014	On April 16, 2014, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Jonathan Smith, former Financial Secretary of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners (UBCJ) Local 2247 (located in Juneau, Alaska), was indicted for one count of embezzling $40,000 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
November 5th, 2013	On November 5, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Angela G. Webster, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 943 (located in Tulsa, Okla.), pled guilty to an indictment charging her with embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
September 3rd, 2013	On September 3, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, Angela G. Webster, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 943 (located in Tulsa, Okla.), was indicted for embezzling $13,015 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
March 15th, 2013	On March 15, 2013, in the Trial Court of Massachusetts BMC Department, Boston, Massachusetts, James Dalton, former Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Carpenters Northeast Regional Council of Millwrights (located in Allston, Mass.), was indicted on one count of larceny over $250, totaling $15,297, in violation of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 266, Section 30. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
February 24th, 2012	On February 24, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Zeffrey Tibbs, spouse of Marqueeta Tibbs, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 437 (located in Portsmouth, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union finds in the amount of $84,903, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Zeffrey Tibbs was indicted on September 21, 2011. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
January 25th, 2012	On January 25, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Marqueeta Tibbs, former office secretary for Carpenters Local 437 (located in Portsmouth, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle union funds in the amount of $84,903, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371. Tibbs was indicted on September 21, 2011. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
January 10th, 2012	On January 10, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Victor Rovani III, former business representative of United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 454 (located in Philadelphia, Pa.), was indicted and an arrest warrant issued for three counts of embezzlement totaling $8,322, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of deprivation of a union member’s rights pertaining to internal union matters. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
September 23rd, 2011	On September 23, 2011, in the Northern District Court of New York, Alyson Harmon, former office employee for Carpenters Local 281 (located in Binghamton, N.Y.), pled guilty to embezzling union funds. On June 15, 2011, Harmon was indicted for having embezzled $20,482 between July 2006 and June 2008. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
June 15th, 2011	On June 15, 2011, in the Northern District of New York, Alyson Harmon, former office employee for Carpenters Local 281 (located in Binghamton, N.Y.), was indicted for embezzling $20,482 between July 2006 and June 2008 from Local 281, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
September 15th, 2010	On September 15, 2010, in the United States District Court of Eastern Texas, Michael Doggett, former Financial Secretary of Carpenters Local 502 (located in Orange, Texas), was indicted on one count of embezzlement from an employee benefit plan in the amount of $58,994, and one count of embezzlement from a labor union in the amount of $45,043. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Houston Resident Investigator Office, the Employee Benefits Security Administration and the FBI.
May 17th, 2010	On May 17, 2010, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Shawn Clark, former Business Agent of Carpenters Local 455 (located in Somerville, N.J.), was found guilty on fifteen counts of embezzling union funds and conspiracy to improperly spend the funds of Local 455 for his own personal use and the use of others, approximately during the period of December 2000 through December 2007. On June 17, 2009, Clark was indicted on sixteen counts of embezzling union funds in excess of $85,000 and conspiracy to improperly spend the funds of Local 455. The verdict follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
June 17th, 2009	On June 17, 2009, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Shawn Clark, former Business Agent of Carpenters Local 455 (located in Somerville, N.J.), was indicted on sixteen counts of embezzling union funds in excess of $85,000 and conspiracy to improperly spend union funds for his own personal use and the use of others during the approximate period of December 2000 through December 2007. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
September 29th, 2006	On September 29, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Kay Joy Andrews, former bookkeeper for Carpenters Local 1780, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $55,765.00. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Las Vegas Resident Investigator Office and the Las Vegas Office of the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General.
April 19th, 2006	On April 19, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada, Kay Joy Andrews, former bookkeeper for Carpenters Local 1780, was indicted on one count of embezzling $55,765.75 in union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Las Vegas Resident Investigator Office and the Las Vegas Office of the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations.
September 26th, 2005	On September 26, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Evon Louis, aka Evon Lewis, while employed by Carpenters Local Union 130, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $11,635.57. On September 27, 2005, Louis/Lewis was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and released pending arraignment after posting bond. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
February 17th, 2005	On February 17, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Julie Messick, the former treasurer of Local 2001, Carpenters, entered a guilty plea by plea agreement to one count of a five-count indictment. She pled guilty to embezzling union funds. Messick had previously made restitution in the amount of $9,164. She further stipulated in the plea agreement that she will make additional restitution in the amount of $2,629.85. On December 7, 2004, Messick was charged following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
December 7th, 2004	On December 7, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Julie Messick, former treasurer of Local 2001, Carpenters, was indicted on five counts of embezzlement in excess of $10,000 in union funds. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
November 11th, 2004	On November 11, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Joy Torrance, former office secretary of Local 1094, Carpenters, pled guilty to embezzling $31,640.02 in union funds. An indictment filed on July 28, 2004, alleged that Torrance created and cashed unauthorized checks to herself and other third parties from the union's checking, savings, and money market accounts. In addition, the indictment alleged that Torrance used the union's credit card without authorization. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
July 28th, 2004	On July 28, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Joy Torrance, former office secretary of Carpenters Local 1094, was indicted for embezzling approximately $39,881 in union funds. The charge alleged that she wrote unauthorized pay checks to herself and third parties from the union's checking, savings, and money market accounts. The charge further alleged that Torrance used the union's business credit card without authorization. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
April 6th, 2004	On April 6, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, an indictment was filed against Henry Watson, former president of Carpenters Local 3031, charging him with one count of embezzling $4,125 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
November 22nd, 2002	On November 22, 2002, in the Hamilton County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas, Dave Mitchell, former treasurer of Carpenters Local 415, was indicted on one count of misdemeanor theft without consent. The charge was brought following an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
October 29th, 2002	On October 29, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Geoffrey R. Barron, former business manager/financial secretary-treasurer of Carpenters Local 2471, pled guilty to the embezzlement of $29,855.26 in union funds. He was indicted for the embezzlement of union funds on September 17, 2002 following an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
September 17th, 2002	On September 17, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Geoffrey R. Barron, former business manager/financial secretary-treasurer of Carpenters Local 2471, was indicted on one count of embezzlement of $29,855.26 of local union funds following an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
March 9th, 2001	On March 9, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Wilfield Bloomfield, former bookkeeper for Carpenters Local 1553, was indicted on 12 counts of embezzling $25,140.57 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.