At least Barbara Patton's misuse of funds was modest by the standards of many union officials. On March 16, federal prosecutors announced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania that Patton, formerly vice president and then president of Local 4469 of the American Postal Workers Union, has been indicted by a federal grand jury that she used her union credit card to cover unauthorized personal expenses. Patton, 57, a resident of Somerset, Pa., during June 1, 2007-November 30, 2008 allegedly embezzled $2,015.78. The indictment follows an investigation by the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards.
On April 1, David Matthis, former secretary-treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 205, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to three years of probation and 200 hours of community service for embezzlement of $5,472.61 from the Alexandria union. He pled guilty in December. In addition to serving his sentence, Matthis will have to pay restitution in the amount of $7,222.57, a fine of $7,000 and a special assessment of $100. The sentencing follows a probe by the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards.
On March 23, Sylvia Grooms, director of industrial relations for American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 199 in Richmond, Virginia, had all charges of larceny against her dropped and expunged from the public record by the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond. The decision read in part: "Whereas, it further appearing to the Court that the continued existence and possible dissemination of information relating to the four grand larceny charges and arrest of petitioner, Sylvia Yvonne Grooms, may cause circumstances that constitute a manifest injustice to said petitioner."
On January 21, Sonia McGuire, former treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 3434, was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia to five years probation, the first six months of which must be served in home detention, for embezzling funds from the Decatur, Ga. union. She also will have to pay $16,023.12 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. McGuire had pleaded guilty in November to embezzling funds in the same amount. The sentencing follows a probe by the Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards.
On December 17, David Matthis, former secretary-treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 205 in Alexandria, La., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to embezzling $5,472.61 from the union. He had been charged with one information count in November. The guilty plea follows a probe by the Labor Department's Office of Labor-Department Standards.
On November 23, David Matthis, former secretary-treasurer of Local 205 of the American Postal Workers Union, was charged in an information count in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana with one count of embezzling funds from the Alexandria union during August 2006-October 2007. The charge follows an investigation by the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards.
On November 18, Sonia McGuire, former treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 3434, pled guilty in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia to one count of embezzling funds from the Decatur, Ga. union in the amount of $16,023.12. The guilty plea follows a probe by the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards.
On September 15, Sonia McGuire, former treasurer of American Postal Workers Union Local 6434 in Decatur, Georgia, was indicted in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia for embezzling union funds in excess of $15,000. The alleged offenses took place between January 15, 2005 and April 28, 2008. The indictment follows a joint investigation by the Labor Department's Office of Labor-Management Standards and the U.S. Postal Service's Office of Inspector General.
On October 8, Sylvia Grooms, director of industrial relations for American Postal Workers Union (APWU) Local 199 in Richmond, Va., had grand larceny charges against her indefinitely dropped. Virginia Circuit Court for the City of Richmond issued a "Noelle Prosequi" on all four counts. A "Noelle Prosequi" in a criminal case indicates a decision by the prosecutor to proceed no further. As "'Lectric Law Library" explains: "The effect of a noelle prosequi, when obtained, is to put the defendant without day, but it does not operate as an acquittal; for he may be afterwards reindicted, and even upon the same indictment, fresh process may be awarded."
