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Postal Mail Handlers

embezzlement 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.
June 28th, 2022On 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.
January 26th, 2022On 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, 2021On 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, 2021On 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.
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.
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.
October 6th, 2016On 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, 2016On 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, 2016On 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, 2016On 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, 2016On 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, 2016On 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.
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.
April 23rd, 2014On April 23, 2014, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Anthony Davis, President of National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) Local 314 (located in St. Louis, Mo.), was indicted on one count of embezzling $40,659 in union funds, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Denver-St. Louis District Office.
August 31st, 2011On 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, 2011On 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.
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.
April 30th, 2007On April 30, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Dennis P. Harper, former Branch President and advocate of National Postal Mail Handlers Local 304, was sentenced to three years probation, including three months house arrest and ordered to make restitution of $2,543.10. On December 20, 2006, Harper was convicted of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
December 20th, 2006On December 20, 2006, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Dennis P. Harper, former Branch President and advocate for National Postal Mail Handlers Local 304, was convicted of embezzling union funds in the amount of $2,543.10. On May 30, 2006, Harper was indicted on one count of embezzlement of union funds in the amount of $4,851.00. The conviction follows an investigation by the OLMS Cincinnati District Office.
November 21st, 2006On 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, 2006On 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.
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.
August 7th, 2002On 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.
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.