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
June 28th, 2022	On June 28, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Scott E. Rodgers, former President of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 314 (located in Hazelwood, Mo.), was sentenced to six months of home confinement and five years of probation. Rodgers was also ordered to pay $78,765 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Rodgers previously paid $2,000 in restitution prior to sentencing. On January 26, 2022, Rodgers pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
March 1st, 2022	On March 1, 2022, in the District Court of Inglewood, California, Vida Sloan, former Treasurer of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 303 (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft in the amount of $10,039, in violation of California Penal Code Section 487(A). Sloan was then sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $10,039 in restitution. The guilty plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.
January 26th, 2022	On January 26, 2022, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Scott E. Rodgers, President of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
September 21st, 2021	On September 21, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Yvette Luster, former Treasurer of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 (located in Hazelwood, Mo.), was sentenced to 18 months of prison and three years of probation. Luster was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $184,138 and a $100 special assessment. On June 22, 2021, Luster pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
June 22nd, 2021	On June 22, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Yvette Luster, former Treasurer of Postal Mail Handlers Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
October 6th, 2016	On October 6, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Jeffrey Velfling, former Chief Steward of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Velfling previously paid restitution in the amount of $6,758. On June 8, 2016,Velfling pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÕs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÕs Office of Inspector General.
October 6th, 2016	On October 6, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, John Crosby, former Assistant Steward of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Crosby previously paid restitution in the amount of $6,758. On June 8, 2016,Crosby pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÕs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÕs Office of Inspector General.
October 6th, 2016	On October 6, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Jeffrey Velfling, former Chief Steward of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Velfling previously paid restitution in the amount of $6,758. On June 8, 2016,Velfling pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÄôs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÄôs Office of Inspector General.
October 6th, 2016	On October 6, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, John Crosby, former Assistant Steward of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment. Crosby previously paid restitution in the amount of $6,758. On June 8, 2016,Crosby pled guilty to embezzlement of union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÄôs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÄôs Office of Inspector General.
June 8th, 2016	On June 8, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Jeffrey Velfling and John Crosby, former Chief Steward and Assistant Steward, respectively, of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), each pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,758, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty pleas follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÕs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÕs Office of Inspector General.
June 8th, 2016	On June 8, 2016, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Jeffrey Velfling and John Crosby, former Chief Steward and Assistant Steward, respectively, of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), each pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $6,758, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The guilty pleas follow a joint investigation by the OLMS Detroit-Milwaukee District Office, the Department of LaborÄôs Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal ServiceÄôs Office of Inspector General.
August 31st, 2011	On August 31, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Donald Kister, former President of National Postal Mail Handlers Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), was sentenced to two years of probation and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Kister previously made restitution in the amount of $4,137.35. On March 14, 2011, Kister pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount between August 2006 and October 2007. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Grand Rapids Resident Investigator Office.
March 14th, 2011	On March 14, 2011, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Donald Kister, former President of National Postal Mail Handlers Local 307 (located in Detroit, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,137.35 between August 2006 and October 2007. Sentencing is scheduled for April 12, 2011. The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
November 21st, 2006	On November 21, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Preston Nelson, former Treasurer for Postal Mail Handlers Local 305, was sentenced to one day imprisonment to be followed by three years probation, 120 days of which must be served in home detention. Nelson was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and pay restitution to the union in the amount of $5,363.98. On August 16, 2006, Nelson pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $13,547.26. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
August 16th, 2006	On August 16, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Preston Nelson, former Treasurer of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 305, pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $13,547.26. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
August 7th, 2002	On August 7, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, James R. Dawson, Sr., president of Postal Mail Handlers Local 325, pled guilty to embezzling $9,401 in union funds. He admitted to obtaining unauthorized cash advances with the union's credit card and using the money for gambling. Loyd C. Manning, the union's former treasurer and current comptroller, pled guilty to filing a false report. He admitted signing the union's Form LM-2 for the year 2000 knowing it contained false information in that Dawson's embezzlement of union funds was not reported. Dawson and Manning had been indicted on May 21, 2002, following a joint investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office and the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General.