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
December 11th, 2019	On December 11, 2019, in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland, John Scarcella, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) Local 125 (located in Middle River, Md.), pleaded guilty to one count of theft of more than $10,000 and less than $100,000 for stealing $28,010 from the union, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. Scarcella was then sentenced to 18 months in jail (all suspended) and 36 months of unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to pay the remaining restitution of $22,760. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
September 27th, 2019	On September 27, 2019, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Gregg Pedersen, former President of Association of Civilian Technicians(ACT) Local 75 (located in Sioux City, Iowa), pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in the amount of $6,320, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
October 19th, 2018	On October 19, 2018, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Timothy Smith, former President of the Civilian Technicians Chapter 84 (located in Anchorage Alaska), was sentenced to eight months in a federal penitentiary and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay restitution totaling $80,990 and a $100 assessment. On April 13, 2018, Smith pleaded guilty to a single count of making a false statement in order to conceal the embezzlement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
April 13th, 2018	On April 13, 2018, in the United States District Court for the District of Alaska, Timothy Smith, former President of the Civilian Technicians Chapter 84 (located in Anchorage, Alaska), pled guilty to one count of making a false statement to conceal the embezzlement of over $80,000 in union funds, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1001. The sentencing is scheduled for September 13, 2018. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
August 28th, 2017	On August 28, 2017, in the Superior Court for the County of Pierce in the State of Washington, Casey Cortese, former President of Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) Local Chapter 108 (located in Tacoma, Wash.), was sentenced to 240 hours of community service and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $27,514. On May 30, 2017, Cortese pled guilty to a single count of Theft in the 1st Degree, in violation of Washington State Criminal Code 9A.56.020 (1)(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle District Office.
October 11th, 2016	On October 11, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Steve Hartman, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians Chapter 83 (located in Frankfort, Ky.), was sentenced to two years of probation and 50 hours of community service, and he was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. On June 22, 2016, Hartman pled guilty to one count of forging a security of an organization in the amount of $2,173, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 513. Hartman previously paid restitution in the amount of $13,208. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
June 22nd, 2016	On June 22, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Steve Hartman, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians Chapter 83 (located in Frankfort, Ky.), was charged in a one-count information with forgery totaling $2,173, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 513. He then pled guilty to the charge. The charge and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office.
May 16th, 2013	On May 16, 2013, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Owen Smith, former Secretary-Treasurer for Civilian Technicians Association Chapter 117 (located in Jacksonville, Ark.), was sentenced to three years probation, assessed a $100 special assessment, and ordered to pay $18,023 in restitution. On October 18, 2012, Smith pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $18,012. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
October 18th, 2012	On October 18, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, Owen Daniel Smith, former Secretary-Treasurer for the Civilian Technicians Association Chapter 117 (located in Jacksonville, Ark.), was charged with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $18,023, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). Smith then pled guilty to the charge. The charge and plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.
July 6th, 2004	On July 6, 2004, in the Ventura County (California) Superior Court, President James D. Torrez, former president of Association of Civilian Technicians Chapter 105, was sentenced to 180 days in jail for embezzling $9,801. In addition, Torrez must pay full restitution and faces three years probation on his release from incarceration. Torrez had previously entered a guilty plea on May 10, 2004, following an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.
May 10th, 2004	On May 10, 2004, in the Ventura County Superior Court, James D. Torrez, former president of Association of Civilian Technicians Chapter 105, pled guilty to one count of embezzling $9,801 in union funds. Torrez had been charged with two counts of embezzlement on July 21, 2003. The charges and guilty plea follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.