Visiting judge to hear Adams Co. paving scandal cases

By The Denver Post

A visiting judge will hear the four criminal cases in the Quality Paving scandal in Adams County.

The move was made official this morning after Judge C. Vincent Phelps issued a blanket order disqualifying all judges in Adams and Broomfield counties from hearing the cases in which former county and Quality Paving workers allegedly ripped off taxpayers for $1.8 million in work that was never done.

The move came amid fears that some witnesses in the cases could include elected county officials and others with close ties to judges.

Senior Judge Steven Shinn, who stepped down from the bench in 2007 in Northeast Colorado, will hear the cases involving former Quality Paving officials Jerry Rhea, Louie Schimpf and Dennis Coen and former county construction manager Sam Gomez. All face multiple felony charges.