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
May 5th, 2014	On May 5, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Juan ‘Alex’ Cedeno, former President and Health & Welfare Fund Trustee of Steelworkers Local 4-318 (located in Edison, N.J.), was arrested following a criminal complaint was filed charging him with one count of embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The investigation disclosed that from April 2009 through October 2011, Cedeno allegedly embezzled a total of $93,965 in union and employee benefit funds. Cedeno used the debit card to incur numerous unauthorized, inappropriate, and personal charges. The charge follows a joint investigation by the OLMS New York District Office and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.
May 8th, 2013	On May 8, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, William Mochrie, former Secretary-Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 04-28 (located in Castleton, N.Y.), had an information filed against him for falsifying union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
February 21st, 2012	On February 21, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Roody Lespinasse, former Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 04-421 (located in Brockton, Mass.), pled guilty to one count of willfully failing to maintain union records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(a). On February 21, 2012, an information was filed charging Lespinasse with the same crime. Lespinasse agreed to make restitution in the amount of $20,818. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
October 22nd, 2010	On October 22, 2010, in the United States District Court of Massachusetts, an indictment of Stennett Bernard, Roody Lespinasse, Andy Alerte, and Manuel Nogueira (former President, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Recording Secretary, respectively) of Steelworkers Local 04-421 was unsealed. The indictment charged Bernard, Lespinasse, Alerte, and Nogueira with violations of Title 18, U.S.C. Code, Section 371 – Conspiracy, Title 29 U.S.C. 501(c) - Embezzlement and Theft of Labor Union Assets, and 18 U.S.C. Section 2 - Aiding and Abetting. The former officers were charged with embezzling the following approximate amounts through unauthorized checks: Bernard ($4,320.94), Lespinasse ($712.30), Alerte ($551.72), and Nogueira ($1,384.34). The indictment also includes a criminal forfeiture allegation, Title 18 U.S.C. Section 981(a)(1)(c) and Title 28 U.S.C. Section 2461(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office.
May 29th, 2002	On May 29, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Anthony Brock, former secretary-treasurer of Steelworkers Local 4-6989, pled guilty to embezzling $12,573 in union funds. The charges had been brought following an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.