Pace man admits stealing nearly $95,000 from labor union while serving as treasurer
Pace, Florida – A Florida man who served for years as a labor union treasurer has admitted to stealing thousands of dollars from the organization he was trusted to oversee while also falsifying financial records in an effort to hide the theft.
Clarence Penny, 40, of Pace, pleaded guilty to eight counts of bank fraud, one count of embezzlement of labor union funds, and three counts of falsification of labor union reports, according to an announcement from John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Federal prosecutors said Penny abused his position within the union by taking money collected from members’ dues and using it for his own personal expenses over several years.
U.S. Attorney Heekin strongly criticized Penny’s actions following the guilty plea. “This defendant violated the position of trust he occupied in his union to personally enrich himself with the dues paid by his hard-working colleagues, and he attempted to conceal his criminal conduct by falsifying financial records he was required to maintain. Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our federal law enforcement partner and the aggressive prosecution by my office, this fraudster’s scheme has been dismantled and federal prison awaits him.”
Theft continued for more than three years
According to court records, Penny served as treasurer for the Steelworkers, AFL-CIO, Local 09 333 Chapter of the United Steelworkers International Labor Union from May 2015 until October 2023.
Investigators determined that between January 2020 and May 2023, Penny wrote 66 unauthorized checks to himself using the union’s bank account.
Authorities said he spent the money on personal expenses rather than legitimate union business.
In total, prosecutors said Penny stole $94,586.53 from the labor organization.
To prevent the theft from being discovered, investigators said Penny submitted false account balances and inaccurate financial information on the union’s required annual reports for 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Those records allegedly concealed the missing money while allowing the scheme to continue for years before it was uncovered.
Because of the charges to which he pleaded guilty, Penny now faces substantial prison time.
Each of the eight bank fraud counts carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. The embezzlement charge carries a maximum sentence of five years, while each count involving falsified labor union reports carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
Federal officials emphasized that sentencing will be determined by the court after considering applicable federal sentencing guidelines and other legal factors.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke Lindsay and Walter Narramore are prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government.
Penny is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
