Former Union Official Sentenced for Violent Extortion Details Written by Justice Department
Indianapolis, Indiana - An Indiana man and former business agent of Iron Workers Local 395 was sentenced Monday to more than four years in prison for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion.
Thomas Williamson Sr., 70, of Schererville, pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2020. According to court documents, Williamson organized and led an assault on a group of non-union ironworkers as part of an attempt to obtain a contract to perform construction work on the Plum Creek Christian Academy, a school affiliated with the Dyer Baptist Church in Dyer, Indiana.
In January 2016, Williamson learned that a non-union ironworking company was performing work for the Dyer Baptist Church, which he considered to be in Local 395’s “territory.” On Jan. 6, 2016, Williamson visited the construction site and made threats to the workers to get them to stop work on the site. Upon being
Thomas Williamson Sr., 70, of Schererville,
pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2020 . According to court documents, Williamson organized and led an assault on a group of non-union ironworkers as part of an attempt to obtain a contract to perform construction work on the Plum Creek Christian Academy, a school affiliated with the Dyer Baptist Church in Dyer, Indiana.
In January 2016, Williamson learned that a non-union ironworking company was performing work for the Dyer Baptist Church, which he considered to be in Local 395’s “territory.” On Jan. 6, 2016, Williamson visited the construction site and made threats to the workers to get them to stop work on the site. Upon being rebuffed, Williamson then visited the church and attempted to persuade church officials to use Local 395 for the project instead of the non-union workers.