Former Union treasurer from Rome sentenced for stealing funds

Published 3:23 pm Thursday, January 14, 2010

ROME — Gary Barner, 41, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Robert L. Vining, Jr., to federal prison on a charge of embezzlement of labor union funds.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This defendant held a position of supervisory power and had a unique access to union funds. His theft took union money out of the hands of its members, and away from legitimate union uses.”

Southern Regional Director of the Office of Labor-Management Standards L. Antoinette Dempsey said, “The Office of Labor-Management Standards is committed to protecting union members from internal financial abuses and ensuring that labor unions maintain high fiduciary standards.”

Barner was sentenced to one year, four months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $28,158.63.  Barner pleaded guilty to the charge on October 6, 2009.

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court:  Between 2002 and 2005, Barner was Treasurer of Local 518, of the Rome, Georgia-based Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers union (later incorporated into the United Steelworkers.)  Between 2002 and 2006, he embezzled in excess of $28,000 from  the union treasury by writing checks to himself, forging the local president’s signature, and misusing the local union’s debit card.  In 2006, an auditor discovered his thefts.  Barner approached his father to obtain a loan to cover his thefts.  His father refused to give him the money and in a subsequent argument, Barner shot his father.  Barner is serving five years in state custody on those charges.  While serving his state sentence, he confessed his embezzlement to investigators.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards.

Assistant United States Attorney David Leta prosecuted the case.