Southeast Missourian

Former state representative Nathan Cooper began his 15-month federal prison sentence for immigration fraud this week at the U.S. penitentiary in Marion, Ill.

The former lawmaker is confined to the minimum-security camp adjacent to the main prison in keeping with his request when sentenced in December. Under federal law, Cooper could receive up to 54 days off for good behavior for every year he is in prison, meaning he could be released in as little as 13 months.

U.S. District Judge Jean C. Hamilton, when she sentenced Cooper on Dec. 10, also ordered him to serve two years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

Cooper pleaded guilty to two felonies for helping two trucking companies obtain the services of foreign drivers. He admitted obtaining temporary, seasonal work documents for drivers when the companies had no significant seasonal differences in their demand for employees. He also admitted buying documents intended for hospitality workers and using them for the truck drivers as well as setting up sham companies to hide the true employers of the drivers.

Cooper, a Republican, was in the middle of his second term as the state House member from Cape Girardeau's 158th District when he resigned in August.

His resignation set up a special election Tuesday between Republican Mary Kasten, a former lawmaker seeking a return to office, Democrat Mike Keefe, the former postmaster for Cape Girardeau, and Libertarian Steve Kinder, a pharmacist.