Indictments

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
August 3rd, 2021	On August 3, 2021, in the Bexar County Judicial District Court, Jeannette Simmons, former bookkeeper for the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Union (SMART) Southwest Gulf Coast Regional Council (SWGCRC), located in San Antonio, Tex., was charged with one count of theft, one count of misapplication of fiduciary property, and one count of forgery in the aggregate amount greater than $30,000 and less than $150,000, in violation of Texas Codes 31.03, 32.45, and 32.21, respectively. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas-New Orleans District Office.
November 19th, 2013	On November 19, 2013, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Ray L. Lineweber, former Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union (UTU) Nebraska State Legislative Board (located in Omaha, Nebr.), was indicted on one count of embezzling $102,907 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c); 14 counts of mail fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1341; and 14 counts of false records, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 439(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
May 1st, 2013	On May 1, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Western Division, Michael Zaborski, former Secretary-Treasurer for United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1962 (located in Fremont, Ohio), was indicted on one count of embezzlement in the amount of $41,226.54. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.
March 7th, 2013	On March 7, 2013, in the 377th Judicial District Court of Victoria County, Larry Lanier Lacy, former Secretary-Treasurer for United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1205 (located in League City, Tex.), was charged with one count of felony theft, in the amount of $64,110.03, and one count of felony misappropriation of fiduciary/financial property, in violation of Texas Statutes 31.03 and 32.45. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
November 9th, 2011	On November 9, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Pennsylvania, Derek Klingman, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 1006 (located in Monongahela, Pa.), was charged in a one-count indictment for embezzling $9,354.84 in union funds. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Pittsburgh District Office.
September 23rd, 2011	On September 23, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Brandon Borders, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 997 (located in Camp Hill, Pa.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement totaling $12,551.16. Borders was indicted for the same charge on July 11, 2011. The sentencing is scheduled for January 3, 2012. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
September 7th, 2011	On September 7, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Vance Valentine, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 524 (located in Willis, Tex.), was indicted on one count of conspiracy, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 531, and four counts of embezzlement, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c) and 18 U.S.C. 2. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Houston Resident Investigator Office.
September 7th, 2011	On September 7, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Sheila Valentine, wife of the former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 524 (located in Willis, Tex.), was indicted on one count of conspiracy to embezzle assets of UTU Local 524 by writing unauthorized checks, making unauthorized debit card purchases, and making unauthorized cash withdrawals, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 531. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Houston Resident Investigator Office.
July 11th, 2011	On July 11, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Brandon S. Borders, former Secretary-Treasurer of United Transportation Union (UTU) Local 997 (located in Camp Hill, Pa.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $12,551.16, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Philadelphia District Office.
May 1st, 2009	On May 1, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Christopher Scott Tidwell, former Secretary-Treasurer of Transportation Union Independent Local 1261 (located in Lineville, Ala.), was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $22,264.08 and one count of forfeiture. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Birmingham Resident Investigator Office.
March 8th, 2007	On March 8, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Keith H. Cook, former Secretary Treasurer for United Transportation Union Local 620 was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds totaling $48,287.47 and one count of willfully making a false entry in union records. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.
February 22nd, 2007	On February 22, 2007, in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska, Thomas E. Saltzman, former Secretary-Treasurer for United Transportation Union Local 418, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds. The indictment was the result of an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
December 20th, 2006	On December 20, 2006, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, Walter Fisher, former Treasurer for United Transportation Union Local 1949, was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds. The charges are the result of an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
May 11th, 2005	On May 11, 2005, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Daniel Van Becelaere, former financial secretary of Local 763, United Transportation Union, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $36,169 in union funds after the first day of his trial. Van Becelaere was indicted on December 14, 2004 following an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
December 14th, 2004	On December 14, 2004, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Daniel Van Becelaere, former secretary-treasurer of Local 763, United Transportation Union, was charged in a three-count indictment with embezzling $36,169 in union funds. The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS St. Louis District Office.
November 13th, 2003	On November 13, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, a superseding indictment was filed adding new charges against Byron Boyd, Jr., current president; Charles Little, former president; and John Rookard, current special assistant to the president, of the United Transportation Union (UTU). These individuals had been previously charged on September 12, 2003, with racketeering conspiracy and two counts of mail fraud. The superseding indictment charges all three with one count of racketeering, one count of RICO conspiracy, and one count of mail fraud. Boyd and Rookard were indicted on a second count of mail fraud. Additionally, Little and Boyd were charged with seven counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $3,658.59; Boyd was charged with three additional counts of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,185.50 and two counts of witness tampering. The indictment alleges that Boyd, Little and Rookard devised and executed a scheme to defraud the UTU membership by soliciting and receiving over $525,000 in cash from thirty-four attorneys nationwide. The charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI.
October 2nd, 2003	On October 2, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Ralph Dennis, former Director of Insurance for the United Transportation Union Insurance Association, pled guilty to conspiring with others to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Dennis had been indicted on September 12, 2003, on one count of RICO conspiracy and two counts of mail fraud and aiding and abetting. These charges and the guilty plea resulted from an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI.
September 12th, 2003	On September 12, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the following international officers and employees were indicted on one count of RICO conspiracy and two counts of mail fraud and aiding and abetting: Charles Little, former international president of the United Transportation Union (UTU), Byron Boyd, current UTU international president, Ralph Dennis, former director of insurance for the United Transportation Union Insurance Association (UTUIA), and John Rookard, assistant to the UTU international president. The charges were brought following a joint investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General and the FBI.
September 5th, 2003	On September 5, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Neil Babineaux, former assistant to the assistant vice president of the United Transportation Union, pled guilty to a charge of criminal contempt. He had been indicted on April 3, 2003, on charges of obstruction of justice and making false declarations to a federal grand jury. Following the guilty plea, Babineaux was sentenced to six months home confinement, two years probation and a $3,000 fine. These charges follow a joint investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office, the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General and the FBI.
July 10th, 2003	On July 10, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Montana, Frank Darvis, former treasurer of the United Transportation Union, Local 891, was sentenced to 18-months probation and ordered to pay a $100 fine. Darvis was indicted for embezzling $29,865 in union funds on January 8, 2003, and pled guilty to the charges on April 9, 2003. Darvis previously made full restitution. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
April 9th, 2003	On April 9, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Montana, Frank Darvis, former treasurer of United Transportation Union Local 891, pled guilty to embezzlement and falsifying signatures on more than 60 union checks which he made payable to himself. Darvis was indicted for embezzling $29,865 in union funds on January 8, 2003. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.
January 8th, 2003	On January 8, 2003, in the United States District Court for the District of Montana, Frank Darvis, former treasurer of United Transportation Union Local 891, was indicted on one count of embezzling $29,865 in union funds following an investigation by the OLMS Denver District Office.