DENVER—A federal immigration agent has been acquitted on charges he got information from a restricted criminal database that ended up in a campaign ad.
Cory Voorhis had been charged with exceeding his authorized access to government computers. He faced up to three years in prison if convicted.
A federal court jury returned a not-guilty verdict on Wednesday after deliberating two hours.
Prosecutors alleged Voorhis got information about plea deals that Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter made with illegal immigrants when he was Denver district attorney.
The information was used in a campaign ad run by Ritter’s opponent in the 2006 gubernatorial race, Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez
Voorhis’ attorneys say he was exercising his First Amendment rights.
