The president of the union for Oklahoma City municipal employees has resigned from his position amid allegations of embezzlement of union funds.

Late last month, William Dale Bryles, 54, announced his departure from Local 2406 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), with his last day to be Tuesday, September 6. Bryles had been the union president for several years, and had been an Oklahoma City employee for some 32 years. He called his time with the union "a good ride."

Just three days after his announcement, Bryles was charged with four felony counts of embezzlement.

The man initially came under police investigation a year ago, after being accused of sexual assault. He has been accused of rape three times--in 1999, 2013, and 2015--although none of the allegations have led to criminal charges. In the most recent allegation, a woman told police that Bryles drugged and raped her in 2005, but it was only after recent counseling that she was able to tell her family and report the allegations to police. Her case is still under investigation.

During the course their rape investigation, police say several witnesses told them that Bryles had been taking money from union funds. According to one witness, the man used a union credit card to purchase a refrigerator for his own home. Other witnesses say they began hiding checkbooks from him, and accused him of making cash withdrawals.

Investigators say bank records seem to support the allegations of embezzlement, and say that it appears that Bryles forged the signature of former union vice president Jimmy Tabb.

Bryles is accused of embezzling more than $15,000 from the union, including $13,000 to support a basketball league he ran called

AFSCME Southside Basketball and another $2,000 for personal use. 

In Oklahoma, embezzlement is punished according to the value of the property or funds misappropriated. Embezzlement of money or property valued at least $1,000 but less than $25,000 is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison.

Image credit: Ed Ivanushkin