Mike Vorce West Michigans National Marine

[boatme]

Latest Magazine cover

[boatme]

The Latest

Un Fricking Believable

Could Vorce's sentence be reduced?
US Attorney's Office files motion Thursday asking
Updated: Thursday, 22 Oct 2009, 9:50 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 22 Oct 2009, 9:50 PM EDT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The U.S. Attorneys Office in Grand Rapids filed a motion Thursday afternoon to have Michael Vorce's sentence reduced when he appears in court next week.

Vorce, of Grand Rapids, is a West Michigan yacht broker accused in a $27 million fraud case.

The U.S. Attorney cites Vorce's sworn testimony against two former business associates who may have falsified documents to entice investors into putting their money into business ventures. That appears to violate wire fraud statutes, according to the motion.

Vorce also testified in a Wisconsin homicide case, helping the prosecutor to convict a defendant, according to documents. In a sentencing memo filed by Vorce's attorney, Larry Willey, his involvement in the homicide case is outlined: "Mr. Vorce cooperated in a first-degree murder case in Milwaukee County, involving a very ugly homicide of a 21-year-old woman.

"The defendant was Calvin Pirtle, who appears to be a sociopath. While he was in Milwaukee County Jail, Mr. Vorce shared a cell with Mr. Pirtle, and Mr. Pirtle, on almost a daily basis, bragged to Mr. Vorce about this homicide and other similar crimes he had committed. Mr. Vorce volunteered this information on his own to the police while he still was incarcerated in Milwaukee. The police had no way of knowing of these confessions except by Mr. Vorce telling them. The other inmates hearing Mr. Pirtle's statements remained silent, understanding the stigma and danger of cooperation."

Vorce also cooperated with other government agencies and the banks that were victims of his fraud, according to the sentencing memo.

Vorce has agreed to forfeit his assets to the government and has transferred all that he owns to the banks, the memo states.

Financially, Vorce has nothing. His wife is working, going to school and taking care of their son. She is helped by some public assistance.

His next court date is Oct. 29.

[boatme]

And a little more


Michael Vorce may get reduced fraud sentence after testifying against others
By Nate Reens | The Grand Rapids Press
October 23, 2009, 7:43AM
GRAND RAPIDS — Michael Vorce, believed to have bilked more than $20 million from banks in loans for yachts that never existed, may escape a recommended nearly 20 years in prison for testimony against former business associates locally and a man he helped convict of murder in Wisconsin.


Michael Vorce
Vorce, 32, formerly of Alpine Township, is in line to have his sentence for guilty pleas to multiple felony counts of bank fraud reduced.
Federal prosecutors filed a motion Thursday to depart from a pre-sentence advisory that he be ordered to serve between 188 and 235 months in prison at his sentencing next Thursday.

The basis of the request lies in his testimony on the alleged fraudulent business activities of former partners Ryan Steensma and Stephanie *****ett.

Vorce accuses them of falsifying documents to send to investors, court records show.

Vorce said Steensma, the owner of security firm Redline 22 and a former Kent County sheriff’s deputy, was able to obtain money under activity that appears to violate federal wire fraud regulations, documents show.

Steensma, whose business specializes in security for companies doing work in the Middle East, Africa and other hot spots, earlier admitted to being subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in connection with Vorce’s case.

The government is pursuing that investigation, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim VerHey, court records showed.

It is not publicly known how much Vorce’s punishment could be reduced.

Larry Willey, Vorce’s attorney, contends his client has undergone a transformation while behind bars for the past 14 months.

Vorce, already under investigation by local authorities for bank fraud, was arrested and jailed while trying to steal the identity of a Milwaukee lawyer along with a friend.

“Vorce now is not the same person who committed these offenses,” Willey wrote.

Willey’s arguments also focus on Vorce’s cooperation as a jailhouse informant in the Wisconsin slaying case against Calvin Pirtle, convicted of “a very ugly homicide of a 21-year-old woman.”

[Chris]

That's probably good news. They'll stick this jailhouse rat into general population and he'll follow his nature. Only the justice system of his new home is swifter and surer than the one out here.

[Wrinkleface]

he was a liar & scammer b4, so he's probably do'n the same thing 2 the feds!! OH no, wait, he's changed!! he must b an angel now!!!