Montgomery, Alabama - Graven LeeVon Townsend, age 51, of Millbrook, entered a guilty plea today to a one-count felony information charging him with embezzling $98,970 in union funds, U.S. Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., announced today.

According to court records, Townsend was an officer of Steelworkers Local 462 in Prattville, serving as Financial-Secretary/Treasurer from 2006 through September 2009. From May 2007 through August 2009, Townsend embezzled approximately $98,970.76 from Local 462. Townsend accomplished this by writing 149 Local 462 checks payable to himself or to cash and depositing the checks into his bank account. Although the checks required the signatures of both Townsend and Local 462’s president, Townsend circumvented this requirement by forging the president’s signature.

When he is sentenced next year by United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson, Townsend faces a statutory maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment. United States Magistrate Judge Charles S. Coody released Townsend on a $25,000 unsecured bond pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew O. Schiff.

 

PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: usaalm.press@usdoj.gov
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617

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