criminal 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
November 15th, 2021	On November 15, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Verdine Day, former Treasurer of Detroit Fire Fighters Association, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 344 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was charged in an information with one count of bank fraud for embezzling $220,044, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1344(2). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Labors Office of Inspector General.
December 16th, 2019	On December 16, 2019, in Yakima County District Court in Yakima, Washington, Brian Slavens, former Secretary-Treasurer of International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local F-295 (located in Yakima, Wash.), was charged with theft in the 1st degree for embezzling approximately $6,000 in union funds, in violation of Washington State criminal code RCW 9A.56.030. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
September 7th, 2017	On September 7, 2017, in the Jefferson County, New York District Court, Ronald G. Watson, former Treasurer of International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 105F (located in Fort Drum, N.Y.), pled guilty to criminal possession of a forged instrument in the third degree. He was then sentenced to one year of conditional discharge and was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution within 10 days. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
December 14th, 2016	On December 14, 2016, in the Jefferson County New York District Court, Ronald G. Watson, former Treasurer of International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 105F (located on United States Army Base Fort Drum, N.Y.), was indicted on one count of grand larceny in the third degree, nine counts of forgery in the second degree, and nine counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. On April 21, 2017, the indictment was unsealed. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
May 29th, 2012	On May 29, 2012, in the Circuit Court for Fauquier County, Virginia, Daniel Kramer, former Secretary-Treasurer of Fire Fighters Local 45 (located in Newport News, Va.), was charged in an indictment with one count of grand larceny, in violation of Virginia Code Section 18.2-95. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
May 17th, 2012	On May 17, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, a criminal complaint was filed charging Joseph Palumbo, former President of Firefighters Local 100 (located in Newport, R.I.), with embezzlement and fraudulent conversion in the amount of $1,541.91, in violation of Rhode Island General Laws 11-41-3. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
February 23rd, 2012	On February 23, 2012, in the State of Texas, El Paso County, William Dempsey, President of Fire Fighters Local 294 (located in Las Cruces, N.M.), was indicted for theft of property of more than $1,500 but less than $20,000, in violation of Texas Penal Code Section 31.03. The charge follows an investigation by OLMS Denver District Office.
October 15th, 2010	On October 15, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Aaron Hunter, former President of Firefighters Local 108-F (located in Fort Leonard Wood, MO), was sentenced to one year probation for the charge of making false statements in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001 to conceal his embezzlement of union funds. Hunter paid restitution totaling $30,000 prior to his sentencing. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
June 4th, 2010	On June 4, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Aaron Hunter, former President of Firefighters Local 108F (located in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.), was charged with one count of making false statements to conceal his embezzlement of union funds. Hunter then pled guilty to the charge. The charge and plea follows an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
January 28th, 2002	On January 28, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Richard Adams, former treasurer of Fire Fighters Local 639, pled guilty to bank fraud for a scheme to deprive the union of $142,715.78. The charges had been brought on January 17, 2002, following a joint investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office and the FBI.
January 17th, 2002	On January 17, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Richard Adams, former treasurer of Firefighters Local 639, was charged in a one-count information with bank fraud in the amount of $3,139.25. The embezzlement of union funds totaled $144,939.46 and restitution will be based on that amount. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office and the FBI.