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American Federation of State County & Municipal Employe

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.

DateDescription
November 2nd, 2020On November 2, 2020, in Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, Tyrone Johnson, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3374 (located in Baltimore, Md.), was indicted on one count of theft having a value of at least $100 but less than $1,500 and one count of embezzlement, in violation of Sections 7-104 and 7-113 of the Maryland Criminal Code, respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
November 2nd, 2020On November 2, 2020, in Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Maryland, Dorothy Jordan, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3374 (located in Baltimore, Md.), was indicted on one count of theft having a value of at least $1,500 but less than $25,000 and one count of embezzlement for embezzling $2,206 from the union, in violation of Sections 7-104 and 7-113 of the Maryland Criminal Code, respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
July 26th, 2017On July 26, 2017, in the District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, William Bryles, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2406 (located in Oklahoma City, Okla.), was charged and pled no contest to four counts of felony embezzlement, in violation of Oklahoma Penal Code, Title 21, Chapter 59, 1451. He then signed a three-year deferred sentence order and was ordered to pay $11,174 in restitution and court costs. The charge, plea, and deferred sentence follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
March 27th, 2014On March 27, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, Robert Lewis, former Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3585 (located in Canton, Ill.), was charged in a criminal information with one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of approximately $77,469, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). On April 14, 2014, Lewis signed a waiver of indictment and pled guilty to the information. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
February 25th, 2014On February 25, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Jesse E. Morgan, former President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1707 (located in Kansas City, Mo.), was indicted on 29 counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343, for embezzling $185,000 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
April 9th, 2013On April 9, 2013, in the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Wayne County, Michigan, Richard Ikerd, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2568 (located in Melvindale, Mich.), was sentenced to 90 days in jail, five years probation, and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $16,065 and various fees and costs totaling $1,198. On October 10, 2012, Ikerd pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
October 10th, 2012On October 10, 2012, in the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Wayne County, Michigan, Richard Ikerd, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2568 (located in Melvindale, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. On July 9, 2012, a complaint was filed charging Ikerd with the same crime. The sentencing is scheduled for January 22, 2013. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
July 9th, 2012On July 9, 2012, in the 19th District Court of Wayne County, Michigan, a felony complaint was filed charging Richard Ikerd, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2568 (located in Melvindale, Mich.), with one count of embezzlement of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
September 28th, 2011On September 28, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Patricia Peoples, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1820 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), was sentenced to two years probation with the first 12 months served in home confinement with electronic monitoring. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $40,293.14 and a $100 special assessment. On June 21, 2011, Peoples pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $39,019.67. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
September 23rd, 2011On September 23, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Grace Isley, former President of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2051 (located in Des Moines, Iowa), was sentenced to five years probation and was ordered to pay a $100 assessment and restitution in the amount of $11,943.82. On June 20, 2011, Isley pled guilty to one count of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
June 21st, 2011On June 21, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Patricia Peoples, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Local 1820 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $39,019.67. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
June 20th, 2011On June 20, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Grace Isley, President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2051 (located in Newton, Iowa), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement with a loss amount of $11,943, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Office.
May 11th, 2011On May 11, 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.), was sentenced to two years of probation (with six months to be served in home detention) and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $16,737.54. On February 25, 2011, Birch pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and the Superior Wisconsin Police Department.
April 26th, 2011On April 26, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, a one-count information was filed against Patricia Peoples, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Local 1820 (located in Pontiac, Mich.), charging her with engaging in an ongoing scheme to embezzle labor union assets in the amount of $39,019.67 by writing herself or members of her family checks drawn on the labor union’s account, by receiving improper lost time payments, and by using union checks and electronic bank deposits to pay her personal expenses, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
February 25th, 2011On 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 15th, 2011On 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, 2010On 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.
November 17th, 2010On November 17, 2010, 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, WI), was indicted on 21 counts of embezzlement from Local 1760-A totaling $16,737.54. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and the Superior Police Department.
October 14th, 2010On 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, 2010On 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, 2010On 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 11th, 2010On 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, 2010On 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.
June 22nd, 2010On June 22, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, an information was filed charging Paula S. Dorsey, former President of AFSCME District Council 48 (located in Milwaukee, Wis.), with one count of embezzlement of funds in the amount of $532.50. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
May 6th, 2010On May 6, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Loretta Brown, former Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME Local 3491 (located in Gary, Ind.), was indicted on two counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $1,225. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.
April 20th, 2010On 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 17th, 2010On March 17, 2010, in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, Michele Pedersen, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 2746 (located in Astoria, Ore.), was charged with five counts of embezzling a union funds in the amount of $8,509 and three counts of falsification of an annual financial report filed by a labor union. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office.
December 15th, 2009On December 15, 2009, 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 indicted on four counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $39,403.72. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
September 23rd, 2009On 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, 2009On 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 14th, 2009On 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, 2009On 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, 2009On 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, 2009On 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.
December 17th, 2008On December 17, 2008, 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), was indicted on one count of embezzling $15,192 and two counts of falsifying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
October 9th, 2008On October 9, 2008, 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 indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,118.57 between March 2004 and March 2006. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
June 26th, 2008On 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.
April 4th, 2008On 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.
March 17th, 2008On March 17, 2008, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, a criminal information was filed charging Zona Albritton, former Manager of General Services for AFSCME, with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $75,446. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
June 22nd, 2007On 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, 2007On 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 11th, 2007On 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, 2007On 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, 2006On 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.
October 4th, 2006On October 4, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Deborah Walters, former President of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #8330, was charged with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,012 and five counts of falsification of union records. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
October 2nd, 2006On October 2, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Elizabeth Fiske, former office bookkeeper for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 38, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $32,793. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
August 3rd, 2006On 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.
June 27th, 2006On June 27, 2006 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Nanette Peterson, former Treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, Chapter #2597, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,309. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
February 9th, 2006On 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, 2006On 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, 2005On 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, 2005On 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, 2005On 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, 2005On 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.
September 7th, 2005On September 7, 2005, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Elizabeth Fiske, former Bookkeeper and Office Secretary of AFSCME Council 38, was indicted on 63 counts of embezzling union funds totaling $32,793 and one count of destroying union records. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
January 22nd, 2003On 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.
November 8th, 2002On November 8, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Jeffrey L. Williams, former treasurer of AFSCME Local 11, was charged in an information with embezzling $3,312.65 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
April 10th, 2002On April 10, 2002, in Dunn County (Wisconsin) state court, Judy Hase, former secretary-treasurer of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 727-D, was charged in a criminal complaint with theft for embezzling $389 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
December 20th, 2001On December 20, 2001, Laura Greco, former treasurer of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1501 was sentenced in the New York State Supreme Court, County of New York, on charges of grand larceny for embezzling $8,965 in union funds. As a result of a plea bargaining agreement, she was sentenced to five years probation and was required to pay $5,000 restitution. The investigation was conducted by the OLMS New York District Office.
November 15th, 2001On November 15, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Robert Gordon, former financial secretary-treasurer of Local 366 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison followed by three years probation and was ordered to make restitution of $88,431. He had pled guilty on July 27, 2001, to embezzlement of union funds and falsification of union records following an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.