Former President Sentenced for Embezzling from Union Local

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that the former president of the union representing Jackson County Department of Corrections employees was sentenced in federal court today for a wire fraud scheme in which he embezzled more than $138,000 from the union local.

Jesse E. Morgan, 39, of Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 21 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Morgan to pay $138,011 in restitution to the union.

Morgan, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Oct. 7, 2014, was president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1707 from 2008 through Oct. 20, 2012.

Morgan admitted that he engaged in a wire fraud scheme during most of his tenure as president, from November 2008 through Oct. 22, 2012, to steal from AFSCME Local 1707. Morgan issued checks from Local 1707 to third parties for his benefit or to himself; made electronic transfers from Local 1707 bank accounts to pay personal expenses; made unauthorized ATM withdrawals from Local 1707 bank accounts; and made unauthorized counter withdrawals from Local 1707 checking and savings accounts.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards.