2012 Criminal Enforcement Actions Against Postal Union Officials

On February 6, 2012, in the Kandiyohi County, Minnesota District Court, Cherity Perez, former Secretary-Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 631 (located in Willmar, Minn.), pled guilty to theft, in violation of Minnesota State Statute 609.52.2(1). The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Minneapolis Resident Investigator Office. Reposted here by PEN.

On January 25, 2012, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Tommy Harris, former Treasurer of National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 1230 (located in Griffin, Ga.), was sentenced to four years of probation, 11 months of electronically monitored home confinement, 200 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay $24,646.82 in restitution (of which $4,646.82 was outstanding) and a $100 special assessment. On November 17, 2011, Harris pled guilty to one count of embezzlement totaling $24,646.82, in violation of 29 U.S.C. 501(c). The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Atlanta District Office. Reposted here by PEN.

On January 11, 2012, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Michael Martin, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3093 (located in Norwalk, Conn.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of mail by an employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the amount of $11,320.61, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1709. In addition, Martin admitted to embezzling $8,880.78 in union funds. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston District Office and the USPS’s Office of Inspector General. Reposted here by PEN.

Criminal Enforcement Actions 2012

• An indictment is a formal accusation or charge based on a finding by a Grand Jury that it is likely that the person charged committed the criminal offense described in the indictment and is the means by which an accused person (defendant) is brought to trial. An indictment raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
• An information is a formal accusation of a crime by a government attorney rather than a Grand Jury. An information raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
• A charge is an accusation of criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. As in all criminal cases, each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Each count is a separate and distinct offense charged in an indictment or information.
• A guilty plea is a defendant’s admission to the court that he or she committed the offense charged and an agreement to waive the right to a trial.
• A conviction is a judgment based on a jury’s verdict, judge’s finding, or the defendant’s admission that the defendant is guilty of the crime charged.
• A sentence is a judicial determination of the punishment to be imposed on an individual who has plead guilty or has been convicted by a jury or judge of a criminal offense.

Information above posted by Postal Employee Network as information for our readers.