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Union Facts

Transit Union

Officials Sentenced

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 17th, 2020On November 17, 2020, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Angel Luis Garcia, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1614 (located in Dover, N.J.), was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement with electronic monitoring and three years of supervised release. Garcia was also ordered to pay $119,021 in restitution and a $100 assessment. On June 23, 2020, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $117,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
September 25th, 2018On September 25, 2018, in the Waupaca County, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Teresa Adkins, former business manager of Heat & Frost Insulators Local 127 (located in Clintonville, Wisc.), pleaded no contest to one count of theft in a business setting of more than $10,000 and one count of forgery, in violation of Wisconsin State Statute 943.20(1)(b) and 943.38(1)(a), respectively. Adkins was then sentenced to five years of probation for the first count and three years of probation for the second count. Adkins was also ordered to pay $73,618 in restitution and $8,418 in fines. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by OLMS Minneapolis Resident Office.
February 23rd, 2017On February 23, 2017, in the Dakota County (Minnesota) District Court, William Winecke, former Treasurer of the Soo Line Locomotive and Car ForemenÄôs Association (located in Apple Valley, Minn.), pled guilty to one count of theft by swindle of more than $35,000, in violation of Minnesota State Statute 609.52.2(4). On the same date, Winecke was sentenced to 30 days of confinement and four years of probation, and he was also ordered to pay $12,536 in restitution and $504 in fees. Winecke previously made restitution in the amount of $29,000. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office.
August 11th, 2016On August 11, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Johnny Wilson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1338 (located in Dallas, Tex.), was sentenced to 18 months of confinement, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $120,352 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. On March 30, 2016, Wilson pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $120,352, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
September 14th, 2015On September 14, 2015, in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, Richard Johnson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1433 (located in Phoenix, Ariz.), was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration, three years of probation, and was ordered to pay $273,489 in restitution and a $425 special assessment. On June 2, 2015, Johnson pled guilty to a five-count information for Embezzlement of Union Assets (three counts), in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); Forgery (one count), in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513(a); and False Reporting (one count), in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Phoenix Resident Investigative Office and the Internal Revenue Service.
February 3rd, 2014On February 3, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Adam Raimer, former Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1027 (located in Fresno, Calif.), was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay the remaining restitution amount of $18,429 and a $200 special assessment. Raimer had previously paid restitution in the amount of $23,000. On September 20, 2013, Raimer pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $41,429, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and one count of access device fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1029(a)(2). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle Office.
December 1st, 2012On December 1, 2012, Claude Huff, former President and Business Manager of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1385 in Dayton, Ohio, was sentenced to five years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $110,348. In September 2012, Huff pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds. The investigation disclosed that between 2004 and 2010, Huff embezzled union funds through unauthorized checks to himself for salary, vacation pay, and sick leave. Huff also altered union financial records in an attempt to conceal his actions.
November 29th, 2011On November 29, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Donald Kotouch, former President and Business Agent for Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1738 (located in Latrobe, Pa.), was sentenced to five years probation including six months home detention and was ordered to pay restitution of $18,806.27 in increments of no less than 10% of gross monthly income, but at least $50 a month. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
August 2nd, 2011On August 2, 2011, in the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, Terri Dunkelberger, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1356 (located in Sioux Falls, S.D.), was sentenced to two years probation for embezzling union funds. Dunkelberger was also ordered to pay $11,848.98 in restitution and a $100 special assessment fee. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office and Milwaukee District Office.
August 5th, 2010On August 5, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Thomas Pokrywczynski, former Treasurer of the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board and former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Transit Union Local 1342 (located in Buffalo, N.Y.), was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $215,527.74. On February 16, 2010, Pokrywczynski pled guilty to embezzling approximately $71,000 from Transit Union, Local 1342 and approximately $183,000 from the Transit Union’s New York State Legislative Conference Board between January 2002 and March 2008 while serving as treasurer of both labor organizations. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
July 8th, 2010On July 8, 2010, in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Joseph Moon, former President of ATU Local 1626 (located in Edison, N. J.), was sentenced to five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay a $25 fine. Also, Moon was ordered to make restitution to Local 1626 in the amount of $14,285. On September 10, 2009, Moon pled guilty to one count of receiving an improper loan from a labor organization. Between April of 2004 and August of 2008, Moon obtained $14,931 in unapproved loans from the local’s checking account. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New York District Office.
February 11th, 2010On February 11, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Milton Smith, a former New York City Department of Education School Bus Inspector, was sentenced to fifteen months incarceration, three years supervised release and order to pay $21,000 in restitution. On February 6, 2009, Smith was found guilty of extorting and accepting bribes in a program receiving federal funds. The sentencing follows a joint investigation of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 (the primary union that represents drivers for school bus companies in New York City), as well as the New York City school bus industry, by the OLMS New York District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI.
December 14th, 2009On December 14, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Nicholas Maddalone and Paul Maddalone, former Executive Board Members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 (the primary union that represents school bus drivers in New York City), were sentenced to ten months incarceration, two years supervised release, and ordered to make restitution, respectively, in the amount of $45,000 and $31,000. The Maddalones pled guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion for their participation in a scheme, along with other union officials, to use their union positions and the fear of economic harm to obtain cash bribes from employers. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI.
December 11th, 2009On December 11, 2009, in the Criminal District Court Number 6, Dallas County, Texas, Bobby Earl Williams, former President of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1635 (formerly located in Dallas, Texas), pled guilty to check forgery. Williams was sentenced to twelve months deferred probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75, a fine of $1,000, and court costs of $194.00. In lieu of community service hours, Williams was also ordered to make a $175 monetary donation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. The plea and sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
November 17th, 2009On November 17, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Ruth R. Olson, former Financial Secretary of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1225 (located in Marina, Calif.), was sentenced to four years probation, 200 hours community service, and ordered to pay $12,904.56 in restitution and a $25 special assessment. On July 9, 2009, Olson pled guilty to one count of making a false entry in books and records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco District Office.
September 10th, 2009On September 10, 2009, in the Criminal District Court Number 6, Dallas County, Texas, Janice Muriel Williams, wife of Bobby Earl Williams, former president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1635 (formerly located in Dallas, Texas), pled guilty to check forgery. Williams was sentenced to twelve months probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75.00, a fine of $1000, and court costs. On April 23, 2008, Williams was indicted on one count of forgery totaling $1,431. The plea and sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
May 26th, 2009On May 26, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Neil Cremin, a former New York City Department of Education (DOE) School Bus Inspector, was sentenced to four months incarceration to be followed by four months of home confinement and ordered to make restitution of $30,000 to the DOE. On February 6, 2009, Cremin pled guilty to accepting bribes in a program receiving federal funds. The sentencing follows a joint investigation of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 (the primary union that represents drivers for school bus companies in New York City) as well as the New York City school bus industry by the OLMS New York District Office, Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI.
December 30th, 2008On December 30, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Luther L. Corey, former President of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1197 (located in Jacksonville, Fla.), was sentenced to 180 days home confinement, four years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a special assessment of $100 and make restitution in the amount of $16,288.37. On October 1, 2008, Corey pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
July 30th, 2008On July 30, 2008, in the County Court of Adams County, Colorado, William J. Kohut, former Treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1755 (located in Westminster, Col.), was sentenced to five years probation and, 150 hours of community service and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $3,046.68. On March 7, 2008, Kohut pled guilty to one count of forgery and incidental crimes. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
June 26th, 2008On June 26, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Salvatore Battaglia, former President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 (located in New York, NY), the primary union that represents drivers and escorts for school bus companies in New York City, was sentenced to fifty-seven months imprisonment and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, $180,000 in restitution and forfeit $25,000. On January 18, 2008, Battaglia pled guilty to participating in the conduct of the affairs of a racketeering enterprise in violation of 18 USC 1962 (c). Battaglia’s act included the extortion of bus company owners. The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office, the FBI, and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
April 1st, 2003On April 1, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Laura McClurg, former secretary-treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1195, was sentenced to thirty days home restriction with electronic monitoring and one year probation for her concealment of union records in connection with a $2,295 embezzlement. She had been indicted on September 3, 2002, following an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.