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June 19, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado Volume 13, Issue 22
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Four vie for seat in CD4 Republican victor will face Democrat, Libertarian in fall By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office Sgt. Shawn Cronce heads up DCSO’s Internet Crimes Against Children program. A typical day for the detective includes swapping files with online predators as she builds evidence against offenders. Photo by Ryan Boldrey
Predators caught in the Net Law enforcement patrols a dark, online world in the name of child safety By Hannah Garcia
Special to Colorado Community Media Although it’s no secret that the Internet provides plenty of dark corners that harbor new ways to commit old crimes, Sgt. Shawn
Cronce said there is a misconception about a certain series of online crimes. “People like to think, `oh, it doesn’t happen here.’ It does, it happens everywhere,” Cronce said, citing a pile of seven case reports still waiting to be written. “I could work (on these cases) 24/7 and never make a dent.” Cronce heads the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children program. A typical day for the detective may include chatting as a 13-year-old girl or downloading child pornography as
she builds evidence against online offenders, parts of sting operations that are the crux of these types of investigations. DCSO tallied 15 ICAC arrests in 2013 and has made at least eight arrests so far this year. The majority of the arrests center on Internet luring charges, a Class-4 felony, and the manufacture, possession or distribution of child pornography, a Class-3 felony. Net Safety continues on Page 5
VA failures rub salt in vets’ wounds Legislation hopes to improve current standards in system By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com George Claggett was a Marine who lived by his own definition of karma. The Vietnam veteran believed that treating others well wasn’t about reciprocation; rather, it was a belief that his goodness would show up elsewhere, even if he wasn’t the one reaping the benefit. It’s a good thing that Claggett wasn’t expecting anything in return for his actions toward others, or for fighting in a war of which many wanted no part, because karma wasn’t there for him during the last months of his life — much of which was spent in frustration over his dealings with Michael O’Brien thinks about his late friend George Claggett as he sits in a booth inside a bar on June 13 that Claggett the Department of Veterans Affairs. “It was hell, absolute hell,” said Michael often frequented, Denver’s Park Tavern and Restaurant. On the table sits the cap that Claggett, a Vietnam veteran, often O’Brien, a close friend and Claggett’s pow- wore. Photo by Vic Vela er of attorney, when asked what it was like dealing with the VA system. a Republican who served in the Iraq War. According to O’Brien, Claggett would waiting,” O’Brien said. Claggett’s story is one of many that have Last week, Coffman joined every other spend several weeks just trying to schedule an appointment to see a doctor at the VA surfaced in recent weeks regarding system- member of the House in voting for a bill hospital in Denver. When he would finally atic failures and corruption within the VA that aims to address some of the issues that have caused veterans like Claggett to reobtain appointments, he would sometimes department. “I am absolutely stunned, particularly ceive substandard care from their governhave to wait for hours to see a doctor. Claggett, of Denver, also waited several as a combat veteran, that this agency that’s ment. The legislation is a start, say members of weeks to receive lab results of a tumor that entrusted to meet our obligations for those contributed to his death on May 2. He was who served in uniform can be so incredibly incompetent... and be so corrupt,” said 6th 66. “It just seemed like all he was doing was Congressional District Rep. Mike Coffman, Vet continues on Page 22
Four Republican candidates who are vying to fill an open 4th Congressional District seat are touting their conservative values to voters as the June 24 primary draws near. The hopefuls are seeking a seat that is being vacated by U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, who is leaving the House of Representatives in a bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Udall this fall. The predominately rural district encompasses Colorado’s eastern plains. The district reaches northern cities, including Greeley and parts of Longmont, but it also includes some communities near Denver, including Parker, Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Elbert County. Gardner has thrown his support behind Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck to succeed him in the CD4 race. Buck — who narrowly lost a 2010 Senate race against Sen. Michael Bennet — is the household name among the four candidates looking to take over Gardner’s seat. “People talk about name recognition, but I think what I have is a brand,” Buck said. “People understand I am a fiscal conservative and I have a passion to reduce spending.” CD4 voters are hearing that same message from the other three candidates in the race: state Sen. Scott Renfroe; Weld County Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer; and Steve Laffey, a New England transplant who was once the mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island. Laffey lives just outside the district in Larimer County, where he raises cattle. The former head of a Tennessee-based brokerage firm, Laffey is a passionate fiscal conservative who hopes to help rein in federal spending, if elected. Laffey has been endorsed by former presidential candidate Herman Cain, a tea party darling. “I’ve never been endorsed by anybody,” Laffey quipped when asked about the significance of Cain’s endorsement. “Politicians hate me.” Renfroe, of Greeley, has represented state Senate District 13 since 2006. A fiscal and social conservative, Renfroe believes that his opponents cannot match his conservative credentials. “I support personhood and traditional marriage,” Renfroe said. “I’m a proven conservative with a proven conservative voting record. You can say you support things, but until you’ve been on a legisla-
CD 4 continues on Page 5
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