Former Long-Time Treasurer Of Fullerton Teamsters Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement From Union And Filing False Tax Return

SANTA ANA, California – The former treasurer of the Fullerton-based International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Graphic Communications Conference, District Council Number 2, has pleaded guilty to embezzlement from the union and filing a false tax return.

Fred W. Correll, 79, of Fullerton, who was the secretary-treasurer of the union since 1970, pleaded guilty to the two felony counts on Tuesday afternoon.

When he pleaded guilty, Correll admitted that during 2009 he embezzled $10,000 from the union for his personal use. Correll also admitted that he filed a false tax return for himself in 2009 when he failed to report that income on the 2009 tax return that he filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

Correll resigned from the union three years ago.

Correll is scheduled to be sentenced on August 4 by United States District Judge James V. Selna. At sentencing, Correll faces a statutory maximum penalty of eight years in federal prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

Correll’s son-in-law, Ryan W. Sherard, the former President of the union, is scheduled to plead guilty to filing a false Labor form on Wednesday, April 23. Sherard, 43, of Fullerton, has agreed to plead guilty to making a false statement in a financial report of a labor union, a misdemeanor offense that carries up to one year in prison. In his plea agreement, Sherard admits he failed to report money – approximately $9,600 – that he received from the union.

Release No. 14-046