Brian Burrows, John Dougherty's codefendant, sentenced to 4 years in prison in embezzlement, conspiracy trial
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Brian Burrows, the codefendant of John Dougherty, was sentenced to four years in prison in connection with the federal embezzlement trial last December, United States Attorney Jacqueline Romero announced Wednesday.
Burrows, 64, will have three years of supervised release and will pay over $100,000 for forfeiture, over $1,000 for special assessment and restitution for embezzlement crimes including taking funds belonging to Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, according to the release.
Dougherty is expected to be sentenced on Thursday, July 11.
A federal jury convicted Burrows and Dougherty in December 2023 of conspiracy to embezzle the funds of Local 98.
"Burrows was also convicted of 13 counts of embezzlement of funds from Local 98, two counts of causing false statements to be made on the form LM-2 that Local 98 was required to file annually with the Department of Labor for 2015 and 2016, two counts of causing false information to be reflected in the books and records of Local 98 for those years, and three counts of filing false federal income tax returns," the release said.
Burrows' charges also include the illegal use of over $300,000 in union funds to fix and repair his home, and the homes of Dougherty and other codefendants, Dougherty family members' homes and commercial properties of Burrows and other codefendants.
Since 2008, Burrows, from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, was the Local 98 president.
A federal grand jury indicted Burrows, Dougherty and other union officers and employees in January 2019 of conspiracy and embezzlement for theft and improper use of about $600,000 in funds from Local 98 from April 2010 through August 2016.
The release states the indictment also charged Burrows and Dougherty with concealing the embezzlement of Local 98's funds by causing false labor management reports to be filed with the U.S. Department of Labor, and with filing false federal income tax returns by failing to report the funds they stole on their tax returns.
"In serving himself over the members of Local 98, Brian Burrows abused his position as the president of the Union and breached the trust of those whom he was elected to serve. Today's sentence makes it clear that this kind of self-dealing at the expense of others will not be tolerated," Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division, said in the release. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain unwavering in our commitment to upholding the integrity of labor unions for the members who rely on them, and bringing to justice those who exploit them."