Mitchell man sentenced for falsifying letter carriers union records

LINCOLN, Neb. — U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Jacob Wilkins, 43, of Mitchell, Neb., was sentenced on July 31, 2024, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for two counts of falsification of annual financial reports filed by a labor union. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Wilkins to five years' probation. Additionally, Wilkins must serve 10 weekends in jail and pay $21,381.82 in restitution to the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836. Prior to sentencing, Wilkins had already paid $2,316.39 in restitution.

Wilkins served as president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836 union based in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, from 2001 until his resignation in August 2021. Federal law requires the union president to maintain bank statements and supporting documentation such as receipts and invoices to justify spending union money. An annual accounting statement detailing losses, assets, liabilities, receipts, and disbursements must be filed with the Department of Labor by the president and secretary-treasurer.

Between 2016 and 2020, Wilkins used union funds for personal expenses totaling $23,698.21. The embezzlement was discovered in 2021 when other union members noticed unauthorized and non-union-related expenses. Wilkins admitted to using union funds for personal expenses and could not recall how he spent cash withdrawals from the union checking account. He also admitted he did not obtain consent from union members before spending union money and stopped keeping records of his spending as of 2010.

“There are consequences for individuals who breach the trust placed in them to be good stewards of union funds. Jacob Wilkins embezzled $23,698.21 from National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1836 that should have been used for its members’ benefit,” said Christiane Abendroth, District Director of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards. “OLMS is committed to holding accountable anyone who unlawfully exploits their position for financial gain at the expense of their fellow union members.”

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards.