The public corruption case against former Broome County District Attorney Steve Cornwell and his assistant Jim Worhach has ended. The two admitted to tampering with and deleting their files related to past-DWI arrests, as well as stealing county property, including taxpayer money.
Worhach now faces up to four years in prison.
Less than a month into the job, Cornwell and Worhach were committing felonies within the walls of the DA’s office, according to Cornwell’s former Assistant District Attorney and current District Attorney Mike Korchak.
What You Need To Know
- Worhach was sentenced Thursday to two to four years in prison.
- Cornwell pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny and sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge fine of $5,000
- The case started in 2016
The case started back in 2016, when Korchak says Cornwell stole hard copies of police reports and witness statements pertaining to his 1995 DWI arrest, which included assaulting a police officer. Those were destroyed, and his name was changed.
Worhach, who served as Cornwell’s media assistant, would also work with the DA to change his own name on his 2014 DWI arrest.
"For 31 years, being a law enforcement official, I would expect our district attorney to have integrity. Mr. Cornwell did not. And that was troubling,” said Jeffrey Wagner, an investigator for the Broome County district attorney’s office.
Fast forward to 2020, and Worhach would be charged with yet another DWI. This led investigators to search his desk, where more troubling information would be discovered.
"False vouchers were filed with the county by Mr. Worhach for over $10,000 from 2016 to 2019 while Mr. Cornwell ran this office. And with that money, Mr. Cornwall and Mr. Worhach used it for their own private parking and as a slush fund," said Wagner.
Korchak, who worked under Cornwell for four years, said this may not be the last time you hear about something like this.
"There is corruption in Broome County, and as long as I'm district attorney, I'm going to be investigating it and prosecuting it. And if people don't like that, well then they don't like it. And if they're afraid of that, then they're afraid of that. And we'll let the chips fall where they may," said Korchak.
Worhach was sentenced Thursday to two to four years in prison. He has the option to enter treatment. Cornwell pleaded guilty to grand larceny and sentenced to a three-year conditional discharge fine of $5,000.