DETROIT – Former United Auto Workers (UAW) president Gary Jones as has been sentenced to 28 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to stealing from the union he’d served for 45 years.
He carried himself as a regular guy and was often seen in a golf shirt or business casual. In court earlier this month, Jones was in a suit and tie and apologized for the federal crimes. Based on each of the two counts of conspiracy, Jones faced a maximum of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
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On Thursday, June 10, U.S. District Judge Paul Borman decided to sentence Jones to 28 months, or just more than two years, in federal prison. Jones also is ordered to pay $550,000 in restitution to the UAW, $42,000 restitution to the IRS, forfeiture of $151,377, two years of supervised release, and a $10,000 fine by Judge Borman, based on his conviction for conspiring with former UAW President Dennis Williams and other senior UAW officials to embezzle UAW dues money and to defraud the United States through tax evasion between 2010 and September 2019.
It was an ominous scene last August when the FBI and IRS raided Jones’ Canton Township home.
RELATED: FBI raids Canton Township home of UAW President Gary Jones
A neighbor said he saw an agent in the garage sifting through bundles of cash.
The feds seized more than $30,000 that day and a set of golf clubs Jones will forfeit as a part of his plea agreement.
Jones admitted to one count of embezzling roughly $1 million of union funds by padding expense accounts, taking lavish vacations at Palm Springs golf resorts, drinking fine scotch, smoking expensive cigars and taking cash from another union leader whose also plead guilty.
Jones also plead guilty to hiding income from the IRS, leading to a $42,000 tax bill he now owes.
UAW leadership released the following statement on Jones’ sentencing:
Current UAW President Rory Gamble released this statement:
“As we have committed to our membership, when the UAW finds there has been wrongdoing, we will take all available actions to hold that person accountable regardless of status within the organization,” said Gamble.
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