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
April 9th, 2012	On April 9, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Northern Division, Graven Townsend, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-462 (located in Prattville, Ala.), was sentenced to serve five years of probation and five months at Dismas Charities. Townsend was also ordered to pay additional restitution owed in the amount of $80,970.76 and a fine of $100. On December 21, 2011, Townsend pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzlement in the amount of $98,970.76, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
December 21st, 2011	On December 21, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Northern Division, Graven Leevon Townsend, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-462 (located in Prattville, Ala.), pled guilty to a one-count information charging him with embezzlement in the amount of $98,970.76, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
November 28th, 2011	On November 28, 2011, in the State of Florida, the 13th Circuit in Polk County, Alfred Jenkins, former Secretary-Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-475 (located in Eaton Park, Fla.), was charged with Grand Theft in the 3rd Degree. The State of Florida charged Jenkins with unlawfully and temporarily depriving Local 9-475 of 17 checks valued at $4,737.45. Jenkins is currently on supervised probation for kidnapping and robbery with a weapon. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Tampa Resident Investigator Office.
August 11th, 2011	On August 11, 2011, in the State of Florida, Circuit Court of Nassau County, Dakota Wilson, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-802 (located in Yulee, Fla.), pled guilty to grand theft and was adjudicated guilty. She was sentenced to five years probation and was ordered to pay $20,157.98 in restitution, $498 in fines, and a teen court service surcharge. On June 7, 2011, Wilson was charged with grand theft of $19,472.53 in union funds and was formally arrested on June 8, 2011. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Miami Resident Office.
June 7th, 2011	On June 7, 2011, in the State of Florida, 4th Judicial District, Dakota Wilson, former Financial Secretary of Steelworkers Local 9-802 (located in Yulee, Fla.), was charged with Grand Theft of $19,472.53 in union funds. Wilson was formally arrested on June 8, 2011. The charge and arrest follow an investigation by the OLMS Miami Resident Office.
November 19th, 2008	On November 19, 2008, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Tarris D. Dallas, former Financial Secretary-Treasurer of United Steelworker’s Local 9-415 (located in Fernandina Beach, Fla.) was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of approximately $105,000. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.
September 3rd, 2004	On September 3, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Richard Krystofiak, former financial secretary of Steelworkers Local 9-1071-L, was sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $8,644.46 for embezzlement and making false entries. On May 18, 2004, Krystofiak pled guilty to the charges following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
May 4th, 2004	On May 4, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, an indictment was filed against Rita Cloud, former financial secretary of Steelworkers Local 09-13314, charging her with one count of embezzling $16,988 in union funds and one count of concealment/destruction of union records. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
April 1st, 2004	On April 1, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Richard Krystofiak, former secretary-treasurer of Steelworkers Local 9-1071-L, was charged in a two-count indictment with embezzlement and making false entries in union records. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
March 16th, 2004	On March 16, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Robert Hart, former president of Steelworkers Local 9-447, was sentenced to two years supervised probation. He made full restitution in the amount of $18,257. Hart had previously pled guilty to filing a false labor organization annual financial report on December 5, 2003, at which time an embezzlement charge was dismissed. The sentence follows an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
August 21st, 2001	On August 21, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Michele Arington, former bookkeeper for Steelworkers Local 9-194-L, was indicted on one count of embezzling $5,635 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.
July 23rd, 2001	On July 23, 2001, in the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, Terry Wilson, former secretary-treasurer of Steelworkers Local 09-1133-L, was placed on three years supervised probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $6,073, the amount of the $22,073 in union funds he embezzled which is still outstanding. He had entered a guilty plea on May 5, 2001. The charges had been brought following an investigation by the OLMS Nashville District Office.