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Postal Mail Handlers

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.

DateDescription
February 14th, 2023On February 14, 2023, in the State of Montana County Court for Yellowstone County, Larry Burk, former President of National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 327 (located in Billings, Mont.), was charged with felony theft/embezzlement exceeding $5,000, in violation of MCA 45-6-301(6)[5]. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
January 6th, 2021On January 6, 2021, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Scott E. Rodgers, President of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), was charged with one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, totaling $80,765, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office and the United States Postal Services Office of Inspector General.
January 5th, 2021On January 5, 2021, 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.), was charged with one count of grand theft in the amount of $10,039, in violation of California Penal Code Section 487(A). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Los Angeles District Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.
October 7th, 2020On October 7, 2020, 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.), was charged with one count of embezzlement of labor union assets in the amount of $184,138, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office and the United States Postal Services Office of Inspector General.
April 19th, 2016On April 19, 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.), were each charged in an indictment with one count of embezzling approximately $6,758 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment 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.
April 19th, 2016On April 19, 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.), were each charged in an indictment with one count of embezzling approximately $6,758 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment 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.
September 23rd, 2010On September 23, 2010, 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, MI), was charged in a two-count indictment with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,137.35 between August 2006 and October 2007 and one count of making false statements. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.
November 6th, 2006On November 6, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, an information was filed against Bernard Johnson, former President of National Postal Mail Handlers Union Local 297, charging him with one count of making false entries in union records. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Kansas City Resident Investigator Office.
July 27th, 2006On July 27, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, a criminal information was filed against Preston Nelson, former Treasurer of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, Local 305, charging him with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $13,547.26. The information follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office.
May 30th, 2006On May 30, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Dennis Harper, former Branch President of National Postal Mail Handlers Local 304, was charged with one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,851. The charge follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
May 21st, 2002On May 21, 2002, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, James Dawson, Sr., president of Postal Mail Handlers Local 325, and Loyd Manning, comptroller and former treasurer of Postal Mail Handlers Local 325, were indicted. James Dawson, Sr. was indicted on one count of embezzling $9,401 in union funds and Loyd Manning was indicted on one count of filing a false report. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.
March 20th, 2002On March 20, 2002, in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, Gwendolyn M. Meadows, former bookkeeper for Postal Mail Handlers Local 334, was indicted on one count of embezzling $27,882.16 in union funds by failing to deposit dues check-off checks and purchasing postal money orders for personal use with union funds. The charges were brought following an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office.