Center for Union Facts logo

Union Facts

United Mine Workers

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.

DateDescription
January 10th, 2023On January 10, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, Manuel Anaya, former Financial Secretary of United Mine Workers for America (UMWA) Local 3106 (located in Socorro, N.M.), was indicted for 21 counts of embezzlement from a labor organization, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
September 28th, 2022On September 28, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Jay A. Garnsey, former Financial Secretary of United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 717 (located in Ilion, N.Y.), was charged in a one-count information with embezzlement from a labor organization for embezzling $38,173, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). He then pleaded guilty to the charge. The charge and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
December 13th, 2011On December 13, 2011, in the Ilion Village Court, Raymond Watson, former Secretary-Treasurer of Mine Workers Local 717 (located in Ilion, N.Y.), pled guilty to Petit Larceny. Watson was previously arrested and charged with Grand Larceny in the fourth degree on November 5, 2009. Upon entering the plea, Watson was sentenced to one year of conditional discharge and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,968.82 and a $500 fine. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
November 3rd, 2009On November 3, 2009, in the Village of Ilion (New York) Court, Raymond Watson, former Financial Secretary of Mine Workers Local 717 (located in Ilion, N.Y.), was charged with grand larceny. Watson is alleged to have made personal charges totaling $1,759 on the union credit card. The charge follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office and the Village of Ilion Police.
January 13th, 2006On January 13, 2006, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County Court, Brenda Berkhamer, former employee of United Mine Workers Local 1257, pled guilty to one count of theft by deception and one count of forgery. She was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to make full restitution to the union. Berkhamer was also ordered to attend weekly meetings of Gamblers Anonymous. On September 7, 2005, Berkhamer was charged with, in addition to other charges, 46 counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $9,656.50. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
September 7th, 2005On September 7, 2005, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County Court, Brenda Berkhamer, former employee of United Mine Workers Local 1257, was charged in a 47-count criminal complaint with embezzling $9,656.50 in union funds. She was arrested the same day and released on $10,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 18, 2005. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
May 31st, 2001On May 31, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, a two-count indictment was returned charging Eugene Wilkinson, former financial secretary of Mine Workers Local 7154, with one count of embezzling $12,024.89 in union funds and one count of false reporting. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Birmingham Resident Investigator Office.
February 28th, 2001On February 28, 2001, the District Attorney of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania charged Gail McGranahan, a former employee of Mine Workers Local 1378, with 20 counts of forgery and 20 counts of theft and is seeking $6,610 in restitution to the union. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.