Former steelworkers union leader arrested

Jace Radke

Friday, Oct. 15, 1999 | 10:34 a.m.

The former president of the United Steelworkers of America local in Henderson, who was forced to resign over allegations of writing bad checks on a union account, was arrested Wednesday in connection with a burglary at union headquarters, police said.

Billy Joe Hand was picked up by police after he attempted to cash two forged checks at a Las Vegas casino, Henderson Police Officer Charlie Johnson said.

Hand was charged with 10 forgery counts and two counts of burglary in connection with a Sunday break-in at the offices of the Steelworkers of America Local 4856 at 47 Water St. in Henderson.

Police recovered a television, VCR, computer, and some uncashed checks all believed to have been stolen from the union offices.

"We found a hole cut into the side of the building, and we know financial records and checks were taken," said Jerry Storms, a staff representative with the union's international office, serving as administrator of Local 4856. "On Wednesday we got a call from a check-cashing facility about someone trying to cash union checks, so we called 911."

Hand is believed to have cashed 10 checks from the burglary from Sunday through Wednesday, Johnson said.

Hand, who is being held on bail of $51,000 at the Clark County Detention Center, resigned his presidency at the international union's request on Sept. 15.

Hand denies embezzling any money from the union.

Storms says his audit of the union's recreation and welfare fund shows more than $11,000 in drafts had been cashed at a Henderson casino. The checks in question are supposed to be signed by two union officials, and Storms said he has been able to verify that the second signature on the drafts was forged.

The union represents about 300 workers at Henderson's Titanium Metals Corp. plant and about 25 workers at Chemical Lime Co.

Hand also was employed at Timet, but he resigned from that company on Sept. 24.

The state of the union will be reviewed by the Labor Department, and Storms says he hopes to have a new president installed by the first of the year. Until then Storms will continue to oversee the union.

"I've been a representative with the international union since 1980, and this is the worst situation I've seen," Storms said. "I'm sure there were worse out there, but for me personally this is it.

"It really goes beyond the money because so many people put their trust in someone and then had that betrayed."