Projectionists union members plead guilty in rash of smoke-bomb arsons

CBS 2 Chicago ^ | January 30, 2004 | MIKE ROBINSON

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

CHICAGO (AP) Three members of the motion picture projectionists union pleaded guilty Friday to taking part in a campaign to win contracts from major theater chains by setting off smoke bombs across the country that sent movie patrons running in panic for the exits.

The three were among seven men associated with the Chicago local including its president who were indicted in November in connection with the wave of arsons and violence in the late 1990s.

The 10-state crime wave was launched in an effort to pressure major movie theater chains to negotiate contracts with the Chicago-based local union, the three said in signed plea agreements.

U.S. District Judge Suzanne B. Conlon set sentencing for all three for April 6.

Joseph L. Marjan, 29, of suburban Riverdale and Kent B. Dickinson, 52, of Bonfield both pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to commit arson and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in their investigation of the case.

Prosecutors said Marjan could face approximately 31 months in prison and Dickinson 43 months under federal sentencing guidelines.

Keith J. Dutton, 48, of Chicago pleaded guilty to a single count of attempted arson. He could face approximately 30 months in federal prison, prosecutors said.

Marjan and Dickinson acknowledged that, urged by union leaders, they traveled the country setting off bombs that mixed chlorine and brake fluid in theaters.

The two men admitted that such bombs were set off in the Illinois communities of Streamwood, Aurora, Joliet, Warrenville and South Barrington.

Others were ignited in Beaver Creek, Ohio; North Canton, Ohio; Lexington, Ky.; New York City; Secaucus, N.J.; Plano, Tex.; Dallas, Tex.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Mishawaka, Ind.; Merriam, Kan.; Kenosha, Wis., and Ames, Iowa, they said.

The campaign was designed to get contracts from AMC Entertainment Inc., Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corp. and Cinemark U.S.A., Inc.

All three men were members of Motion Picture Projectionists, Operators and Video Technicians, Local 110 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, AFL-CIO.

The local has an image, acquired decades ago, of corruption and mob links. In the early 1980s, the Chicago Crime Commission said at least 24 relatives of ``reputed hoodlums'' held ghost jobs with the union.

[Land_of_Lincoln_John]

Of course the unions represent "the people" the same "people" that were "running in panic for the exits" courtesy of the union's smoke bombs.

[gcruse]

God, I hate unions.

[newgeezer]

Union thug ping.