The United States Attorney's Office

FORMER OFFICIAL WITH BARSTOW LABOR UNION INDICTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES RELATED TO THEFT OF UNION FUNDS

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

James L. Miles, 69, of Barstow, California, was named in a 12-count indictment that accuses him of embezzling union funds, mail fraud and making false statements to the United States Department of Labor. 

A federal grand jury indicted Miles on one count of embezzling approximately $93,273 of union funds during the period January 2003 through June 2007. The indictment alleges that 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 allegedly 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 was also indicted on nine counts of mail fraud and two counts of making false statements to the United States Department of Labor. The mail fraud counts allege, among other things, that Miles filed false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of himself and the union for multiple years.

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

If Miles is convicted of all 12 counts in the indictment, he faces a statutory maximum sentence of 187 years in federal prison.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.

Miles will be summoned to appear for an arraignment in United States District Court in Riverside on February 3.

The case against Miles was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) 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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