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Agent: 'Case was bigger than me'

By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published April 11, 2008 at 12:08 p.m.
Updated April 12, 2008 at 12:43 a.m.

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Cory Voorhis said the past 18 months have been tough on him.

Cory Voorhis said the past 18 months have been tough on him.

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Cory Voorhis said he felt "pure elation" and vindication when he heard the verdict clearing him of federal charges.

A federal jury acquitted him Wednesday of violating the law by accessing a confidential government crime data base for political purposes.

Voorhis told listeners on Peter Boyle's KHOW talk radio show Friday morning that the past 18 months have been tough.

"The initial decision was that this was wrong and I've got to stand up to this, but I'd be wrong to say I didn't waver," he said. "The case was bigger than me. It was something that was thrust upon me and I just had to ride the storm."

Voorhis, who was put on unpaid leave during the case, said he doesn't know what the future holds. He said he is considering a job offer. His attorney, Bill Taylor, said the process of appealing in the federal system to regain his job would be lengthy.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to reinstate Voorhis with full back pay.

"Cory Voorhis has been vindicated in a court of law," Tancredo said. "The leadership at ICE needs to step up and do the right thing."

Voorhis said he was gratified by the support he received from fellow ICE agents and law enforcement, including contributions to help pay for his defense.

Comments

  • April 11, 2008

    12:15 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bmenezes writes:

    Hmmm, so Voorhis says his "motives weren't political." I guess that explains why Voorhis took his information about plea bargains to a political campaign to foster changes, rather than taking it to Rep. Tancredo, a sitting congressman who apparently would have welcomed it with open arms; U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, another sitting and influential (theoretically) lawmaker who may have helped; the local U.S. attorney who was appointed by Pres. Bush, or higher authorities at ICE, which is responsible for deporting those who are in this country illegally.

    Yep, doesn't sound political to me.

  • April 11, 2008

    12:31 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OhBrother writes:

    agree or not, he was found not guilty. He at least deserves his back pay and job reinstated. It was a shame he had to go through this but I assume justice has now been done

  • April 11, 2008

    12:53 p.m.

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    snowbelly writes:

    Ler's get this straight,american crooks pretending to be illegal to get preferential treatment. Why are illegls so much more important than citizens? It must be political. Bull Ritter and his ilk crave the votes of illegals.Last election cycle move on was registering illegals at my local kings.They were told voting would help them get citizenship.

  • April 11, 2008

    12:54 p.m.

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    Rangerjoe1 writes:

    Just shows that Ritter could care less about the Law in colorado.
    He's sure to get a job after we vote this clown out, he can work with salazar as lobbyist for mexico

  • April 11, 2008

    1:17 p.m.

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    FlyfishDude52 writes:

    snowbelly - how can illegal aliens vote? My understanding of the voter registry process precludes that likelyhood.

    It appears that the liberals seem to think that by catering to the illegal Hispanic group that they will gain the support of the honest, law-abiding and longtime Hispanic residents (not just in Colorado ). If the cross-section of hispanioc people I've known for years are any indication, they opose the illegal alien situation even more vehemently than most Anglos.

  • April 11, 2008

    1:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    Hey Cory, I'd suggest that instead of sitting on your butt in the office breaking the law to look up confidential info for your favored politician, you actually get out and pick up some of the illegals that ICE is forcing local DAs to plea bargain with so the jails don't overflow with your backlogs. There's an idea for ya! Maybe the whole thing could have been avoided if you had done your job.

  • April 11, 2008

    1:44 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    GWM, you answered you're own "f'in" question, dude. How do I know he wasn't a great emnployee? As you said, he illegally used the confidential database he had sworn to keep confidential. "Great" employees don't do that. As far as others using it, pony up: What do you know? Who else used it illegally?

    What I do know is that ICE routinely declines to accept illegals referred to them for deportation becasue of the sheer number. Immigration is a *federal* issue, not a state or city one. Cory's sitting in his office tapping out illegally obtained information for Beauprez while Denver and other counties are being forced to plea bargain down cases due to ICE not shipping out the ones already detained. How about Cory going over to county, picking up a van load right now and driving them down to El Paso? That would accomplish more than any leak of confidential data that merely indicates ICE ain't doing its job.

  • April 11, 2008

    1:59 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Mike1969 writes:

    Anyone else agree this might be a problem?

    Voorhis said he opposed the deals because they allowed illegal aliens to avoid a prison sentence and escape deportation.

    “It got so bad, you had U.S. citizens in jail falsely claiming they were illegal aliens because they knew they would get a better deal and escape a DOC sentence because of the plea deals,” Voorhis said. “They were begging for an immigration detainer to be placed on their file. Then they’d get on the bus to Juarez and be back on the street slinging heroin in 24 hours.”

  • April 11, 2008

    2:14 p.m.

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    Golden writes:

    AC - everyday you post something even dumber than the day before. Why do you ahte Voorhis so much and love former criminal DA now criminal Governor Ritter.

    The whole law enforcement community, FBI, DEA, ICE, and local cops from all over came to his aid. We was lead investigator on one of ICE's largest criminal investigation. That is how I know he is a good man.

    You, on the other hand, are an idiot.

  • April 11, 2008

    2:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    sheepherder writes:

    Just ignore AC, especially his posts on anything related to cops. I think "ac" stands for "Anti-cop." Ac should just pay his tickets and get on with his life...

  • April 11, 2008

    3:20 p.m.

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    American100 writes:

    Vorhees should write a book. With the raging anti-illegal sentiment it would probably be a best seller.

  • April 11, 2008

    3:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    GWM: Who are the other employees using NCIC illegally "all the time?" How do you know this? Report it if you do and stop whining about Cory getting caught. This "everybody does it" BS is just rightie rationalization for a lawbreaker.

    RickyLee Clown: You spout off with nothing to say. I advocated ICE doing it's job, Einstein. Get the illegals out of county and deport them. How come all you clown defenders of an admitted lawbreaker aren;t upset that Cary and his colleagues are leaving all the illegals in the lockups here and not doing their jobs? SO you can blame it on the mayor and governor, when immigration is a *federal* responsibility? Why wasn't your hero Cory ouGWM: Who are the other employees using NCIC illegally "all the time?" How do you know this? Report it if you do and stop whining about Cory getting caught. This "everybody does it" BS is just rightie rationalization for a lawbreaker.

    RickyLee Clown: You spout off with nothing to say. I advocated ICE doing it's job, Einstein. Get the illegals out of county and deport them. How come all you clown defenders of an admitted lawbreaker aren’t upset that Cary and his colleagues are leaving all the illegals in the lockups here and not doing their jobs? SO you can blame it on the mayor and governor, when immigration is a *federal* responsibility? Why wasn't your hero Cory out doing his job instead of illegally divulging confidential files to a political campaign? How many illegals got away while Cory was fiddling with politics on my dime? You're such a clown you even argue against your own position on immigration by defending this inaction. If Ritter locked up 1,000 more illegals, Cory still wouldn't be taking them. Identify the real problem, sport.

    Golden: How could a dumb squirt like you even know what was dumb! “Criminal Ritter” Oh for the love of Pete, that’s pretty stupid.

    Hey stupid sheep-herder: You're a moron. I've never said anything anti-cop, I've never had a ticket. Are you high on drugs or something? Where do you read my posts on anything related to cops? Sober up.
    t doing his job instead of illegally divulging confidential files to a political campaign? How many illegals got away while Cory was fiddling with politics on my dime? You're such a clown you even argue against your own position on immigration by defending this inaction. If Ritter locked up 1,000 more illegals, Cory still wouldn't be taking them. Identify the real problem, sport.

    Hey stupid sheep-herder: You're a moron. I've never said anything anti-cop, I've never had a ticket. Are you high on drugs or something? Where do you read my posts on anything related to cops? Sober up.

  • April 11, 2008

    3:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    esarem writes:

    Is anyone going to do something about the governor of Colorado clearly being in favor of allowing known criminals to roam our streets because he wanted to curry favor with the voting Hispanic population? What morons voted for this boob anyway?

  • April 11, 2008

    4:31 p.m.

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    davies writes:

    AC: Am I missing something here? Your big point is that ICE isn't doing it's job, which is to deport the illegal aliens. The article states that illegal aliens that ARE deported often are bused to Juarez and sometimes are back in Colorado 24 hours later.

    Voorhis' point was that illegals who are guilty of SERIOUS offenses should be prosecuted for more than trespassing as an illegal alien. Because the consequence of such a prosecution is that, yup, they are deported to Juarez and sometimes are back in Colorado 24 hours later.

    I will grant you, the "non-political purposes" line smells like BS to me.

    But other than that, it seems like you're saying "deport them! deport them!" and Voorhis is saying deportation is not a deterrent, and is often the preferred option for illegal aliens. Oh well I guess I'm just as dumb as the others...

  • April 11, 2008

    4:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Golden writes:

    AC - nice logical argument... Did you learn that from a bumper sticker?
    Your argument - "How could a dumb squirt like you (Golden) know what was dumb".

    Your proposition - I am dumb.
    Your assertion - Dumb people don't know what dumb is.
    Your conclusion - Therefore, it is not possible for me to know that I, you or anyone else for that matter, is dumb.
    The flaw in your argument - Then how would you know?

  • April 11, 2008

    4:52 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    davies writes:

    Golden: Hah - that's pretty good! Probably a 'thread ender'.

  • April 11, 2008

    5:28 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    GWM: Good, get lost then. If you can't see the clarity of reasoning here -- illegals are clogging the system and jails because ICE isn't taking them quickly enough, triggering the need for these plea bargains -- then you're not equipped for the discussion. Immigration is federal, not local. You said “I should have said ‘many times’ and I cannot prove that either.” That only means you’re making more unsubstantiated charges. I didn't “spew” any hatred. Most of the hatred I've seen has come from the clowns calling Ritter a criminal. Get real. Voorhis was prosecuted by a Republican US attorney's office.

    Golden: How would I know? Look at your posts. They’re dumb. They’re not thought out, they’re just rants: “Why do you ahte Voorhis so much and love former criminal DA now criminal Governor Ritter.” You’re just so full of hate and name calling, it’s sad. That’s how I know.

    Davies: Thanks for thoughtful reply. Yes it’s frustrating that people deported often show back up. Yet somew of the people on this board seem to want to blame the wrong source. They moan that Ritter (and by extension ALL DAs in the state who are caught in the same trap) deosn’t keep and hold for deportation every single illegal they come across, when in fact ICE is clearly unable to handle the intake. How long can our county sheriffs keep stuffing the jails without ICE coming to get them? If people need to be deported, you need to get ICE, not Ritter or Hickenlooper or your local DA or sheriff. ICE. And Cory is ICE. Instead of fiddling illegally and politically with the database, he should go out and pick them up and take them to the border. End of story, and all the other folks’ whining here about blaming everyone except the ones responsible is just bald-faced politics.

  • April 11, 2008

    7:52 p.m.

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    The_Punnisher writes:

    I know for a fact that ONE City and County employee used the NCIC database to check out friends and possible marriage material.

    My ( dead ) ex-wife...

    She joked about the information she uncovered sometimes...

    You would be surprised at how many other people abuse the NCIC database....

    This is one of the many reasons I DESPISE Law Enforcement personnel these days.

    I got to see what many agencies perceive as " normal and SOP "...

    From the inside.

  • April 11, 2008

    8:44 p.m.

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    Sweetpickle writes:

    This is a perfect case of the end justifying the means.
    Voorhis supplied Beauprez with information that sank his election bid. He should get a medal.

  • April 11, 2008

    9:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    elaineb writes:

    I know for a fact that many people mis-use the CCIC/NCIC computer system. It happens all the time. Nothing is really done about it.

  • April 11, 2008

    10:01 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    STOPUSAGiveaway writes:

    to the person who doesn't know how illegals are able to vote?
    How old are you--not old enough to be using this post?
    Certainly, cannot read because FEDERICO PENA got into office by utilization of the ILLEGALS---33,000!
    And we know what he accomplished!
    BILLIONS missing ARK & Denver airports---
    Neither function properly--but no prosecution.
    DOES ANYBODY see a frightening pattern of legal and bureaucratic abuse: taxpayers, whistle blowers, legal residents PROSECUTED for bringing out the TRUTH
    ILLEGALS, TERRORISTS, TRAITORS, PERVERTS< CRIMINALS; white collar criminals laugh all the way to the Bahamas ALL REWARDED and in control.
    Do Unto Others...
    The Future is grim and it is NOW
    One Nation Under GOD

  • April 12, 2008

    2:57 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AC writes:

    So, Ricky, tell us why you support lawbreaking? Why do you support Cory's non-enforcement of the law, as well as his admitted breaking of the law? Why do you support ICE not taking all illegals from county lockups and deporting them? Why do you support keeping illegals in the country? Why do you defend inaction at the federal level while criticizing local officials who cannot lock them all up?

    Don't get it? Why? Because you're the stupid dumbass idiot who doesn't even know what's in his own interests. All you look for is R's and D's and make your stupid chopices on blind obedience. You're worse than useless, you're harmful, moron.