Office of Labor-Management Standards

June 28, 2009

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.

Listed below are some of the 2009 investigations and charges. You may find these at anytime at this link:

Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)

On June 8, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, Brian Brownlee, former Vice-President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) 2nd District (located in Hot Springs, Ark.), pled guilty to embezzling union funds in the amount of $16,221.30.  An OLMS investigation concluded that Brownlee falsified vouchers for travel, per diem, lodging and lost time.  The plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Dallas District Office.

On June 3, 2009, in the 79th District Court of Mason County, Michigan, Kimberly Drake, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3466 (located in Ludington, Mich.), pled guilty to one count of embezzlement of $200 or more but less than $1,000.  Drake was immediately sentenced to two years probation, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,050 and fined $160.  Drake previously made restitution in the amount of $450.  The plea and sentencing follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.

On June 1, 2009, in Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, Va., Sylvia Grooms, Director of Industrial Relations for American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 199 (located in Richmond, Va.), was indicted on four counts of grand larceny associated with feloniously and unlawfully stealing the union’s property.  The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Washington District Office, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.

On May 13, 2009, in the 79th District Court of Mason County, Michigan, Kimberly Drake, former Treasurer of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 3466 (located in Ludington, Mich.), was charged with one count of forgery and one count of embezzlement of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000.  The charges follow an investigation by the OLMS Detroit District Office.

On May 6, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Mozelle E. Means-Swanson, former President of American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 7139 (located in Aurora, Ill.),  was indicted on one count of embezzling union funds in the amount of $4,900. The indictment follows an investigation by the OLMS Chicago District Office.

On May 5, 2009, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, Angelo Wiggins, former President of  the National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees (NAPFE) Local 408 (located in Mobile, Ala.), was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,269.85. On February 3, 2009, Wiggins pled guilty to one count of embezzling union funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS New Orleans District Office.

On March 30, 2009, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Tina Curtis, former Secretary Treasurer for the APWU Local 232 (located in Columbus, Ohio), was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service and ordered to make restitution. On November 17, 2008, Curtis pled guilty to embezzling $18,283 in union funds. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Cleveland District Office.

Source: Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
Link: http://www.dol.gov/esa/olms/regs/compliance/enforcement_1.htm