By Eileen Buckley
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-694163.mp3
Buffalo, NY – A dozen members of a local union are facing federal extortion and racketeering charges. 12 members of Operating Engineers Local 17 in Hamburg were arrested and arraigned Tuesday.
This follows a lengthy investigation that involved the U-S Attorney, Department of Labor, State Police and FBI.
All 12 arrested are named in an eight count indictment. The charges allege that the men showed up at job sites not awarded to Local 17 making threats and sometimes committing acts of violence.
Those named in the indictment include top leaders from Local 17 and the union's president Mark Kirsch. U.S. Attorney Terrance Flynn says they are accused of causing significant property damaged costing millions of dollars.
Flynn says those charged are accused of threatening contractors and developers from large and small construction projects all in an attempt to gain the work.
Flynn says the charges also accuses the members of misusing the union's access to the state Department of Motor Vehicle data base to obtain personal information used to threaten others.
But Flynn says the charges are not against Local 17 and the union continues to operate. The allegations trace as far back as ten years ago. If convicted on the charges, all could face up to 20 years in prison.
WBFO News attempted to get reaction from some local labor leaders, but we were unsuccessfully in reaching them Tuesday.
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