Guilty Pleas

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 29th, 2014	On April 29, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California Division, Fred Correll, former Treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) District Council 2 (located in Fullerton, Calif.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,000, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c), and one count of filing a false tax return when he failed to report the embezzled income on his 2009 tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. 7201. The sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2014. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the IRS.
April 23rd, 2014	On April 23, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Ryan Sherard, former President of Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) District Council 2 (located in Fullerton, Calif.), pled guilty to one count of making a false statement in a labor union financial report, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(b), when he failed to report in the union’s LM-2 report approximately $9,600 that he received from the union. The sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2014. The plea follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the IRS.
May 29th, 2013	On May 29, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Malvin J. Bergeron, former President and Secretary Treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) Local 537M (formerly located in Marrero, La.), pled guilty to a one-count information for embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
July 21st, 2010	On July 21, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jeffrey Kenney, former Secretary-Treasurer for Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU) Local 205-C (located in Youngstown, Ohio), was sentenced to four months incarceration followed by two years of supervised release including four months of electronic monitoring. On May 14, 2010, Kenney pled guilty to embezzling more than $10,000 in union funds and filing a false report. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
May 14th, 2010	On May 14, 2010, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Jeffrey Kenney, former Secretary Treasurer of Graphic Communications Local 205-C (located in Youngstown, Ohio), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,305.70 and of filing a false financial report. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
December 12th, 2007	On December 12, 2007, in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George's County, Wesley Leroy Wicks, former President of Graphic Communications International Union Local 1-C, pled guilty to one count of theft of $500.00 or greater. Subsequently, Wicks was sentenced to three years of probation, and paid restitution to the local in the amount of $4,804.70. The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
April 23rd, 2007	On April 23, 2007 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Thomas P. Obzut, former Secretary-Treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union (GCIU), Local 735S was sentenced to two years probation, the first six months to be served under house arrest, a $500 fine, a $100 special victim assessment, and psychiatric counseling as directed by the US Probation Department for gambling addiction. Obzut has made full restitution to the union. On November 30, 2006, Obzut pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $21,099.17. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
November 30th, 2006	On November 30, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Thomas Obzut, former Secretary-Treasurer for Graphic Communications (GCIU) Local 735, pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount $21,099. Following his plea, Obzut made full restitution to the local. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
September 12th, 2006	On September 12, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Janice McKamey, former Secretary-Treasurer for Graphic Communications International Union Local 88-N, was sentenced to three years probation, 200 hours of community service, and ordered to pay full restitution to the local in the amount of $2,680.94. On July 19, 2006, McKamey pled guilty to one count of making false entries in union records. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
August 14th, 2006	On August 14, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Lynn Lanphear, former President of Graphic Communications Local 503M, was sentenced to five years supervised probation and 100 hours of community service. Lanphear was also ordered to make restitution to the local in the amount of $8,441.29 and to pay a $1,000 fine. On June 12, 2006, Lanphear pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $8,441.29. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
June 12th, 2006	On June 12, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Lynn R. Lanphear, former President of Graphic Communications International Union Local 503-M, pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $8,441. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Buffalo District Office.
July 8th, 2004	On July 8, 2004, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, Linda Stewart, former secretary-treasurer of Graphic Communications Local 182-C (now known as Local 767-M), was sentenced to five years supervised probation with six months to be spent in home detention with electronic monitoring. Stewart was also ordered to pay $65,005 in restitution. Stewart pled guilty on February 6, 2004, to a one count information charging her with embezzlement. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General.
February 6th, 2004	On February 6, 2004, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, Linda Stewart, former secretary-treasurer of Graphic Communications, Local 182-C, pled guilty to a one count information charging her with embezzling between $68,701 and $73,428.87 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Seattle District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
October 20th, 2003	On October 20, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Tammy Lynne Reeves, former office manager/administrative assistant of Graphic Communications International Union Local 72-C, was sentenced to 18 months incarceration and three years probation for embezzling $169,366.30 in union funds. She was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $21,366.30 and to pay a special assessment of $100; she paid $148,000 in restitution prior to the indictment. On November 18, 2002, Reeves was indicted on one count of embezzlement; she pled guilty on June 3, 2003. The sentence and guilty plea follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the FBI.
January 6th, 2003	On January 6, 2003, in Blue Earth (Minnesota) District Court, Adam Wobbrock, former treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union Local 379-C, was sentenced to ten days in jail with work release and fined $537. On December 11, 2002, Wobbrock pled guilty to one count of theft related to an embezzlement of $3,675.36 in union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.
December 11th, 2002	On December 11, 2002, in Blue Earth (Minnesota) District Court, Adam Wobbrock, former treasurer of Graphic Communications International Union Local 379-C, pled guilty to one count of theft related to an embezzlement of $3,675.36 of union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Milwaukee District Office.