Gambling losses have contributed to the downfall of dozens of union officials and employees over the past several years. Sherell Mitchell, formerly secretary-treasurer of Local 86823 of the Communications Workers America, has joined their ranks. On April 8 Mitchell was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri to six months of house arrest, five years of probation and 200 hours of community service for embezzling more than $110,000 from the St. Louis union. She pleaded guilty when charged more than three months ago. As part of her plea agreement, she paid a lump sum of about $50,000 toward restitution.
