Colo. high court says county illegally seized immigrants’ tax records during ID theft probe

Court: Immigrants’ tax records illegally searched

DENVER — The Colorado Supreme Court says Weld County authorities violated privacy rights of immigrants when sheriff’s deputies seized thousands of tax returns to investigate them for identity theft.

The Court’s Monday ruling affirms a decision by a district judge who suppressed evidence against one of the defendants. That judge said authorities had no probable cause to search the man’s tax returns and that the documents are confidential.

The defendant was one of more than 70 people charged with criminal impersonation and identity theft. Some other defendants pleaded guilty and were deported before the district court ruling.

Prosecutors had said they planned to charge more people before the ruling.