By BOB GIBBINS
Press Staff Writer
TAHLEQUAH —
MUSKOGEE – A Tahlequah woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzlement from a labor organization.
Donna LeAnn Cooper entered the plea before U.S. Magistrate Steven Schreder. Cooper was indicted in June after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of Labor Management Standards.
U.S. Attorney Sheldon Sperling said the indictment alleged that Cooper took an official union issued credit card to make unauthorized purchases and ATM withdrawals for her personal use. The unauthorized expenses totaled approximately $69,000. He said the crimes occurred between Oct. 26, 2004, and Oct. 16, 2008.
Cooper, 58, had been employed by the Laborers International Union of North America Local 888.
Shreder ordered completion of a pre-sentence report, and a sentencing date will be set after its completion.
Sperling said the statutory range of punishment is no more than five years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. He said a preliminary calculation of the sentencing guidelines projects a term of 10-16 months in prison
