For some union bosses, it doesn’t get more shameful than the latest labor rackets from the Summer.
In Virginia, Anthony Jordan, former Secretary-Treasurer of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Division 26 (located in Chester, VA), was sentenced to six months of home detention and 24 months of probation, and was fined $4,000. Jordan had previously paid full restitution of $30,519. On May 11, 2022, Jordan pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization.
In the District of Columbia, Stacy Staples, an associate of a former employee of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Union (located in Washington, D.C.), pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to embezzle $44,748 from the union.
In Alabama, Lawrence Ford, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-1978 (located in Milbrook, Ala.), was charged with one count of theft of property in excess of $2,500.
In California, Jonathon Ortino, former President of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 165 (located in San Bruno, Calif.), was sentenced to one year of probation and 80 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay a special monetary assessment of $300. Restitution will be determined at a future hearing. On April 1, 2022, Ortino was found guilty by a jury on three counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements on Form LM-3.
In Ohio, Mary Wolff, former President of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 7 (located in Columbus, Ohio), was charged with one count of theft valued at $7,500 or more.
In Montana, Kyle Adcock, former President of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Local 220 (located in Helena, Mont.), was charged with forgery of a security, the falsification of annual financial disclosure reports, and the embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $21,725.
In Massachusetts, Marie LeClair, former President of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2617 (located in Boston, Mass.), was sentenced to six months of home confinement concurrent with three years of probation. LeClair was also ordered to pay $29,050 in restitution for items including bonus bucks payments and personal phone and debit card charges. On June 1, 2022, LeClair pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $3,000.
In Puerto Rico, International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1740 President Carlos C. Sanchez-Ortiz, union members Pedro Pastrana-Gonzalez and Iara I. Clemente-Rivera, and Puerto Rico Ports Authority employee Jorge I. Batista-Maldonado were indicted with racketeering conspiracy, Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy and mail and wire fraud conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1962(d), 18 U.S.C. 1951, and 18 U.S.C. 1349, respectively. In addition, Sanchez-Ortiz, Pastrana-Gonzalez, and Clemente-Rivera were charged with conspiracy to violate the Taft Hartley Act and money laundering conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371 and 18 U.S.C. 1956(h), respectively. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $1,184,524 plus other property in connection with the RICO and money laundering charges. Finally, Pastrana-Gonzalez, Clemente-Rivera and three other union members (Victor F. Torres-Barroso, Jose A. Fernandez- Cruz, and Carlos A. Hernandez-Laguer) were charged with conspiracy to willfully convert funds and falsify records in an employee benefit plan and health care fraud.
In Mississippi, Glenn Lovelace, former business manager for Insulators Local 114 (located in Brandon, Miss.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling from an employee benefit plan.
In the District of Columbia, Stacy Staples, an associate of a former employee of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National union (located in Washington, D.C.), was charged in a criminal information with one count of conspiracy to embezzle from a labor organization for conspiring to embezzle $44,748.
In Florida, Denise Kovacs, former bookkeeper for Plumbers Local 803 (located in Orlando, Fla.), was indicted for embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $304,903.
