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Gary Jones pleads guilty in UAW corruption scandal
The highest-ranking member of the United Auto Workers Union is the 14th defendant to be convicted in an ongoing criminal investigation into corruption.
DETROIT (AP) - Former United Auto Workers president Gary Jones was sentenced to 28 months in prison for scheming to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars in union dues.
U.S. District Judge Paul Borman in Detroit sentenced the 64-year-old Jones on Thursday.
Though federal sentencing guidelines would have allowed for a 46- to 57-month sentence, prosecutors asked for a lesser penalty citing Jones’ acceptance of responsibility and cooperation in a wide-ranging federal corruption probe of the union.
But they also said the sentence should be stiff enough to deter future corruption.
Jones’ lawyer also cited the cooperation with prosecutors and said most of the crimes happened before Jones was named president.
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Disgraced ex-UAW president Gary Jones gets 28 months in prison for embezzlement
Jones was charged with helping to embezzle more than a million dollars - spending it on cigars, and spa treatments and golf - when federal agents raided his canton home - they found wads of cash. He is among several high ranking union officials convicted in this corruption scandal.
Jones apologized to the court, the union and his family, saying he had failed them.