A former officer of a shipbuilder’s union in Bath has been charged with embezzling $280,000 from the union local over a four-year period.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Portland, Ryan Jones, 34, of Bath, was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Jones is alleged to have embezzled the money from 2012 to 2016, while he was secretary-treasurer of Local S6 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
If convicted, Jones faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 and an order to pay restitution.
Court documents don’t indicate that Jones has a lawyer yet.
The union released a statement Thursday saying it had discoverd that funds were missing, barred Jones from holding a union elective office and contacted the Department of Labor, which launched an investigation that led to the indictment.
The statement, attributed to Jonathan Battaglia, assistant communications director of the machinists’ union, said its investigation didn’t find that any other current or past officers were involved in the alleged embezzlement.
The union has filed a claim with its bonding company, Battaglia’s statement said, and expects full restitution to be paid to members of the Bath local.
Bath Iron Works officials said they had no comment on the indictment.
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