Judge rules agent's words can be used against him

By Felisa Cardona, The Denver Post, January 15, 2008

A federal judge denied a motion on Monday to toss out statements a special immigration agent made to his supervisors about improperly accessing a restricted database.

Lawyers for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Cory Voorhis tried to suppress the statements during a hearing before U.S. District Judge John Kane arguing that he made them under the threat of losing his job.

Voorhis, 39, is charged with three misdemeanors for accessing the National Crime Information Center database to obtain information for Bob Beauprez's gubernatorial campaign in 2006. The database is for law enforcement purposes only.

Beauprez used the information in an ad criticizing then-Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter and his record of plea-bargaining with illegal immigrants.

On Oct. 16, 2006, ICE Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Copp called Voorhis into his office to ask him why he ran the name of Walter Ramo, the immigrant used in the ad.

At first, Voorhis told Copp that he was advised by a lawyer not to speak. Voorhis testified he then decided to answer Copp's question because he was afraid he would be defying an order, which is grounds for termination...

Voorhis' supporters issued a statement on Monday that says his prosecution could jeopardize the federal case against Pedro Castorena-Ibarra, accused of running a sophisticated criminal counterfeit identification organization. Voorhis was one of the agents who investigated the organization....

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