Guilty: Key figure in Adams County scandal found guilty of 62 felonies
January 14th, 2012
A sweet deal if you can get it. Quality Paving resurfaced the driveway of Adams County Commissioner Alice Nichol's home. (Google)
The first conviction in one of many scandals to rock Adams County in recent years has yielded stunning results. Dennis Coen, former vice president of Quality Paving, has been found guilty of 62 felonies.
Coen was complicit in a scheme carried out by his employees and Adams County staff that bilked taxpayers out of millions of dollars for work that was never performed. He will now have a criminal record with 21 counts of forgery, 20 counts of theft, 19 counts of conspiracy to commit theft and two counts of attempting to influence a public servant.
One county employee and a former Quality Paving employee have taken plea deals in the investigation. Former Adams County public works director Lee Assay and construction manager Sam Gomez are next on the docket and face charges similar to Coen. Currently on trial is the former owner of Quality Paving, Jerry Rhea.
The scandal has reached the highest levels of county government where the Board of Commissioners approved many of the no-bid contracts that lined the pockets of Quality Paving management and employees.
Adams County Commissioner Alice Nichol is herself a key figure as it was revealed that Quality Paving had resurfaced the driveway at her home, a fact she failed to disclose to investigators. A special prosecutor is currently delving into her exact role while many of her other questionable dealings have come to light.
The conviction of Coen is certainly notable but it is only one step in rooting out the corruption in Adams County government. Elected officials and county employees need to continue to be held accountable for their actions.
- Denver Post: Ex-executive of Quality Paving guilty of 62 felonies
[...] morning Rhea followed Dennis Coen and was found guilty of theft, conspiracy to commit theft and trying to influence a public [...]
As a former employee of Jerry Rhea and Dennis Coen. They got what they deserve!!!! Dennis Coen thought he was such a big shot and very powerful. Let’s see how much power you have now stupid! JR has was referred to is also as guilty as sin. I workded there in 02 – 03. What a corrupt bunch of jerks they are. To Ty Pitman and all of us who walked away from that damn place, I say hooooooraaaay for justis.