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    Thom Mrozek
    Public Affairs Officer

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    thom.mrozek@usdoj.gov

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    Release No. 10-096

    June 21, 2010

    FORMER OFFICIAL WITH BARSTOW LABOR UNION PLEADS GUILTY TO THEFT OF UNION FUNDS AND FILING FALSE TAX RETURN

    RIVERSIDE, California – The former financial secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union, Local 1023, pleaded guilty today to federal charges related to his theft of more than $90,000 in union funds.

    Jimmie L. Miles, 70, of Barstow, California, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds and one count of filing a false income tax return that failed to report the embezzled income to the IRS. 

    As part of his guilty pleas, Miles admitted that he embezzled more than $90,000 in union funds from the beginning of 2003 through June 2007. Miles issued and signed more than 350 checks from the union’s bank account without obtaining authorization from the union’s membership or the union’s executive board. Miles used the checks to pay for his personal expenditures, including more than $31,000 in checks made out to himself, more than $25,000 for credit card payments, and more than $6,000 for mortgage payments. Miles admitted that he created false monthly statements for the union to conceal his embezzling the union's funds.

    As part of his plea agreement with the government, Miles agreed to pay approximately $93,283 in restitution to the union, and to pay the IRS approximately $14,466 to resolve his outstanding tax liability.

    Miles remains on $25,000 bond pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for August 30 before United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips.

    IBEW Local 1023, which represents approximately 180 members who work for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, is based in Barstow.

    The case against Miles was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and IRS - Criminal Investigation. OLMS enforces federal labor laws that impose financial responsibilities on union officers and employees requiring that they properly account for the receipt and disbursement of membership funds.

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    Release No. 10-096

    Return to the 2010 Press Release Index