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
August 23rd, 2019	On August 23, 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), was charged in an information with defrauding the union through wire fraud in the amount of $6,320, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
May 31st, 2019	On May 31, 2019, in Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland, John Scarcella, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians Local 125 (located in Middle River, Md.), was charged with one count of theft of more than $10,000, but less than $100,000, in violation of Section 7-104 of the Maryland Criminal Code. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office and the Baltimore County Police Department.
March 27th, 2017	On March 27, 2017, in the Superior Court of Washington for Pierce County, Casey Cortese, former President for the Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT) Chapter 108 (located in Pierce County, Wash.), was indicted on a single count of theft in the 1st degree, in violation of RCW 9A.56.020(1)(c) and RCW 9A.56.030(1)(a). Cortese is charged with converting over $27,000 in Chapter 108 funds to his own personal use. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS San Francisco-Seattle 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.
February 26th, 2015	On February 26, 2015, in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Hardin County Circuit Court, Thomas Wilson, former Secretary-Treasurer of Association of Civilian Technicians Chapter 83 (located in Fort Knox, Ky.), was charged in a one-count indictment for felony theft by unlawful taking over $10,000. The charge follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati-Cleveland District Office and the Department of Defense, Criminal Investigative Service.
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.
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.
July 21st, 2003	On July 21, 2003, in the Ventura County Superior Court, James D. Torrez, former President of Civilian Technicians Chapter 105, was charged with two counts of embezzling union funds totaling $9,801. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office.