Former Broome County DA employee pleads guilty in corruption case tied to Steve Cornwell
A former employee of the Broome County District Attorney’s Office pleaded guilty to charges of grand larceny Monday, wrapping up a case that resulted in the former District Attorney losing his license to practice law in New York.
James M. Worhach, 37, formerly worked as the executive assistant and media relations representative under Stephen K. Cornwell Jr., who served as Broome County District Attorney from 2016 to 2019.
In pleading guilty to the felony charge of fourth-degree grand larceny, Worhach admitted to stealing more than $1,000 from the Broome County government to pay for unauthorized long-term parking for himself and Cornwell in a downtown Binghamton commercial lot throughout Cornwell’s time in office.
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Worhach’s guilty plea, which was entered one day before jury selection was scheduled to begin in his trial, was part of a plea agreement, according to Schuyler County District Attorney Joseph G. Fazzary, who served as special prosecutor on the case.
Fazzary declined to share the terms of the plea agreement prior to Worhach’s sentencing, scheduled for March 7 in Broome County Court.
Worhach, Cornwell previously pleaded guilty in stolen records cases
The larceny charge was the second in a two-count indictment against both Cornwell and Worhach in 2021, though that case against Cornwell was later dropped.
In December, both Cornwell and Worhach pleaded guilty to their respective charges outlined in the first indictment, which accused them of stealing files related to their previous arrests on charges of driving while intoxicated.
Cornwell pleaded guilty to a felony count of fourth-degree grand larceny, admitting he stole hard copies of police reports and witness statements pertaining to his 1995 arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, assault of a police officer and obstruction of governmental administration.
Cornwell then altered his name and deleted his date of birth from corresponding digital files in an apparent attempt to prevent them from turning up in a search of an online case management database.
Worhach pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge in exchange for admitting he stole and falsified county records relating to his own 2013 felony DWI conviction.
Cornwell was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and sentenced by Madison County Judge Donald Cerio to three years’ conditional discharge. Under the terms of the felony charge, Cornwell also forfeited his license to practice law in the state.
Building the case
The crimes were discovered in 2021 by investigators and other staff members at the District Attorney’s office, working with Broome County internal auditors, according to Fazzary.
Broome County District Attorney Michael Korchak brought the case before a grand jury and secured indictments before the case was transferred by court order to the Schuyler County District Attorney’s Office, due to the likelihood that Broome County employees would be called as witnesses in a potential trial.
“Since becoming DA I’ve made a commitment to the people of Broome County to investigate and prosecute corruption in our local government,” Korchak said in a statement after Worhach's plea.
Korchak previously served as chief assistant prosecutor under Cornwell.
Fazzary’s office is seeking $5,455 in restitution for Broome County. Worhach faces up to four years in prison.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: James Worhach pleads guilty to grand larceny in DA corruption case
