A Dickinson County man has been ordered to pay back money he stole from a railroad union.

According to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom’s office, a former secretary-treasurer of a railroad union was sentenced Monday to time served and two years on supervised release for embezzling union funds. He also was ordered to pay more than $17,000 in restitution to the union.

63-year-oldDale T. Hull of Herington pleaded guilty to one count of embezzling union funds. In his plea, Hull admitted the crime occurred while he was secretary-treasurer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Division 261, which represented employees of the Union Pacific Railroad who work in the Herington terminal and the Salina hub.

Starting in 2008, Hull made unauthorized and illegal account transfers from the union’s account to his personal checking account totaling more than $17,000. He also filed false reports to the U.S. Department of Labor in which he understated his earnings as secretary-treasurer of the union.