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Union Facts

Government Security Officers

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
January 23rd, 2018On January 23, 2018, in the Hamilton County, Ohio Court of Common Pleas, Elizabeth Merrill, former Secretary-Treasurer of Government Security Officers (UGSOA) Local 251 (located in Cincinnati, Ohio), pled guilty to one count of attempted theft and one count of attempted forgery in violation of O.R.C. 2923.02, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail (suspended), one year of probation, and a $100 fine. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
January 5th, 2016On January 5, 2016, in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado, Christopher Headlee, former Treasurer of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 50 (located in Durango, Colo.), was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay remaining restitution in the amount of $1,947 ($9,000 previously paid) and a $25 special assessment. On October 14, 2015, Headlee pled guilty to one count of falsification of an annual financial report filed by a labor union, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
December 14th, 2015On December 14, 2015, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Howard Royal, former President of Government Security Officers Local 304 (located on Harrisburg, Pa.), was sentenced to six months of house arrest followed by six months of supervised probation and he was ordered to pay $66,989 in restitution. On July 17, 2015, Royal pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia-Pittsburgh District Office.
June 8th, 2015On June 8, 2015, in Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland, Rodney Horne, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 34 (located in Washington, D.C.), pled guilty to one count of theft over $500, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. Horne was then sentenced to five years of imprisonment, all of which was suspended, and 36 months of unsupervised probation, and was also ordered to pay $6,045 in restitution. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Prince GeorgeÕs County Police Department.
June 8th, 2015On June 8, 2015, in Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland, Rodney Horne, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 34 (located in Washington, D.C.), pled guilty to one count of theft over $500, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. Horne was then sentenced to five years of imprisonment, all of which was suspended, and 36 months of unsupervised probation, and was also ordered to pay $6,045 in restitution. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Prince GeorgeÄôs County Police Department.
April 7th, 2014On April 7, 2014, in the 184th Judicial District Court, Houston County, Texas, Kenneth Smith, former President of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 208 (located in Houston, Tex.), pled guilty and then was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,300 fine. On October 18, 2013, Smith was charged with felony theft in the value of $1,500 or more but less than $20,000, in violation of Texas State Penal Code Section 31.03. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
June 20th, 2013On June 20, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Paulette McClure, former Financial Treasurer of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 36 (located in Port Gibson, Miss.), was sentenced to three months incarceration, two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $3,161.82 in restitution. On March 19, 2013, McClure pled guilty to one count of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and one count of forgery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513. The embezzlement count was dismissed at the time of sentencing. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
January 1st, 2013On January 1, 2013, Ava Ramey, former trustee of United Government Security Officers of America (UGSOA) Local 21 in Bowie, Maryland, was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of probation. She was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $379,000. In June 2012, Ramey pled guilty to one count of embezzlement from a labor organization. The investigation revealed that between December 2005 and October 2009, Ramey wrote more than $80,000 in checks from the union’s account to either herself or to cash for personal expenses and withdrew more than $60,000 from the union’s account in unapproved ATM withdrawals. In addition, Ramey withdrew in person or transferred to her personal account more than $100,000 in union funds and wrote more than $60,000 in checks from the union’s account to her family members.
February 19th, 2010On February 19, 2010, in Goodhue County (Minnesota) District Court, Michelle Lyn Adler, former treasurer of Government Security Officers Local 24 (located in Redwing, Minn.), pled guilty to theft of more than $1,000, but not more than $5,000. Adler was then sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay $1,700 in restitution, a $200 fine, and an $83 surcharge. The plea and sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Office.