Posts tagged prison
Leavenworth prison union says staffing shortages are the real cause of ongoing ‘lockdown’
April 15, 2024 // Russ Gildner, union president for the American Federation of Government Employees Local 919, said the prison is understaffed by about 30 positions. He said by going into emergency operations, prison leaders can bypass the union’s contract and order staff, like counselors and other positions, to serve as prison guards. “Staff that work in education and recreation,” Gildner said, “are being reassigned and are performing work as officers.” Gildner said that means that the prison is not currently offering programs like educational classes during the lockdown. That contradicts previous statements from prison officials that said inmates still have access to those programs amid the investigation.
An FBI informant in Johnny Doc’s inner circle didn’t violate his right to fair trial, judge says
August 3, 2023 // Though recording someone outside of a law enforcement investigation without their consent is a crime in Pennsylvania, the FBI, based on those tapes, enlisted the cooperator to begin working as an official confidential informant out of concern that statements such as those were an attempt by Dougherty to intimidate witnesses in the case against him, Blake said. And for the next several months, the informant continued to record Dougherty at union meetings up to and throughout his 2021 trial. The labor leader learned of the mole’s existence only after his conviction and as he prepared for a second trial on extortion charges related to threats he allegedly made to a union contractor who tried to fire his nephew.
Former Honolulu Union Leader Headed To Prison For More Than 11 Years
July 24, 2023 // In a weeks-long trial last year, federal prosecutors detailed how the finances of Local 1260 nosedived after Ahakuelo took over as business manager and financial secretary. In 2010, the union had a surplus of approximately $700,000, Gillmor noted. Four years later, it had a deficit of some $760,000. Prosecutors said Ahakuelo hired family members at salaries exceeding what union rules allowed. His wife, sister-in-law, son and his children’s spouses were all on the union’s payroll. Their pay contributed to the union’s salary expenses jumping by 150%, the judge said. Ahakuelo was emboldened by an inexperienced executive board, handpicked by Ahakuelo himself, that literally and figuratively handed him signed blank checks to spend as he wished, Gillmor said. Ahakuelo was also able to make unilateral decisions on travel. On several occasions, he brought an unnecessary entourage of family members and other employees on trips with dubious connections to union needs.
Whiteside County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling From Labor Organization
July 6, 2023 // BRENT TOPPERT, 43, of Morrison, Ill., was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston to five months in federal prison, to be followed by six months of home detention. Toppert was also fined $5,000. Toppert was the elected Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Local 238 of the Security, Police, and Fire Professionals of America, a labor organization that represents members who provide security at a nuclear plant in Cordova, Ill. Toppert pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year and admitted that from 2013 to 2018 he made several unauthorized withdrawals from SPFPA’s bank account, totaling $55,140.98, which he converted to his personal use.
Ex-NYPD union boss delays fraud sentence with re-entry class while collecting six-figure city pension
June 14, 2023 // Ed Mullins — who faces up to 20 years behind bars for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in union dues from the Sergeants Benevolent Association — was scheduled to be sentenced on May 25 in the federal case. But Mullins, 61, managed to delay the potential prison term to complete a 12-week pre-sentencing course run by the Focus Forward Project that helps criminal defendants prepare for life in lockup and re-entry into society, according to court documents. Federal prosecutors said he used the member dues to pay for hundreds of personal high-end meals as well as clothing, jewelry and home appliances — and even a relative’s college education.
Former state police union head gets 2 1/2 years in prison on fraud, racketeering convictions
May 11, 2023 // Lynch paid Pullman a $20,000 kickback in connection with a settlement agreement between the union and the state, prosecutors said. They also defrauded two companies that sought to do business with the state police by hiding the fact that Lynch was paying Pullman to direct vendors to use Lynch’s services, authorities said. They then hid the payments to avoid reporting and paying taxes on that income. Pullman also embezzled union funds by using a debit card tied to a union bank account to pay for thousands of dollars worth of meals and travel for himself and his girlfriend to Florida. The union represents more than 1,500 troopers and sergeants.
A former Illinois State Senator convicted in corruption scheme gets a new job — state lobbyist
May 10, 2023 // State records show Stragetia’s state government clients in the current legislative session are the city of Oakbrook Terrace, the village of Itasca, Americans for Fair Energy Prices, the Justice Grown cannabis dispensaries and SoundThinking — the recently rebranded company behind gunshot-detection software used by the Chicago Police Department. But in 2019, Cullerton was charged in a 41-count federal embezzlement and conspiracy indictment related to an alleged scam where he received payments from a Chicago labor union for little to no work. Cullerton was accused of receiving more than $274,000 in payments and benefits from Teamsters Joint Council 25 for being a purported union organizer. The indictment alleged Cullerton routinely did not show up for work with the union after he landed the lucrative gig from former Teamsters Joint Council 25 President John Coli Sr., who pleaded guilty to federal extortion and tax fraud charges in 2019.
Southeast Iowa man sentenced for embezzlement and theft of labor union assets
April 21, 2023 // According to court records, James Darin Boatman, 53, of New London, embezzled and stole union funds for his personal use. Boatman is the former president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 617 Union. UFCW Local 617 members include production workers and skilled trade workers at the Conagra plant in Fort Madison. An investigation revealed Boatman, the president of the union from 2010 until 2019, set up a credit card in the union’s name, without authorization, and from at least May 2017 to August 2019 used the card for personal expenses, including vacations to Florida, large repairs on his personal vehicle, and to pay for attorney representation for an unrelated matter.
Ex-officer for Roanoke labor union gets six months in prison for embezzlement
February 2, 2023 // The former secretary-treasurer of a now defunct Roanoke labor union was sentenced to six months in prison Tuesday for embezzling nearly $40,000 from dues paid by his fellow workers. Albert Jennings Jr. took the money over five years from the Transportation Communications Union Lodge 6061, which represented about 20 freight car men employees of Norfolk Southern Corp. at the time the thefts were discovered.
Union: NM calling state employees back to in-person work without much of a plan
January 17, 2023 //