Pittsburgh Review

A former union treasurer from Blaine, Minnesota, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for embezzling funds and falsifying financial records. The sentence, announced by United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan, also includes two years of supervised release with the first 180 days under home confinement.

Donald W. Byers, aged 50 and previously residing in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, received his sentence on October 1, 2024, from United States District Judge Robert J. Colville. Byers was convicted of embezzlement and theft of union assets along with falsification of required financial records.

Court documents revealed that Byers served as the treasurer for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 287 between June 2017 and December 2020. During this period, he embezzled over $44,000 by issuing more than 50 unauthorized checks to himself. He also submitted a false financial report to the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards and forged a union officer's signature on several checks.

Judge Colville emphasized the seriousness of Byers's crimes and justified incarceration due to his criminal history among other considerations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Cessar and Jacqueline Brown. United States Attorney Olshan praised the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards for their role in investigating and facilitating the successful prosecution.