Posted on 08/09/2007 12:46:18 PM PDT by Juantwothree
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A southeast Missouri legislator will resign his post and surrender his law license after pleading guilty Thursday to fraud charges on immigration matters, his lawyer said.
Rep. Nathan Cooper, R-Cape Girardeau, an attorney specializing in immigration law, pleaded guilty to an illegal scheme to obtain temporary worker visas for his clients in the trucking business, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Reap said.
Cooper, 33, was not available for comment. But his attorney, Joel Schwartz, said Cooper will step down and give up his law license before his sentencing in October.
Representative Nathan Cooper
"This has nothing to do whatsoever with Mr. Cooper's official capacity in his role as a legislator," Schwartz said. "He deeply regrets the actions he took as far as immigration goes.
"In an attempt to assist clients, he crossed a line he shouldn't have crossed. He has no plans to practice law again."
In his law practice, Cooper represented employers seeking worker visas under a government program.
Companies such as those in the hospitality and construction industries that can't fulfill their need for seasonal workers may apply to sponsor temporary immigrant workers.
Prospective clients in the trucking business told Cooper they had chronic shortages of workers -- not seasonal shortages as envisioned in the H2B visa program, Reap said.
Prosecutors said Cooper developed a scheme to persuade the government to issue improper visas to those trucking industry clients.
In the plea agreement, Cooper admitted he applied for visas for fraudulent shell companies and issued bogus letters intended to deceive law enforcement about the immigration status of his client's workers. He also admitted to buying visas from others for illegal transfer to his clients' workers.
In 2004 and 2005 alone, Cooper took in at least $50,000 in legal fees from his trucking industry clients using these techniques, Reap said.
Under the plea agreement, Cooper agreed to forfeit the illegal proceeds and stop representing employers seeking such visas.
Cooper pleaded guilty to one felony count of visa fraud and one felony count of making a false statement to the Department of Labor.
He faces up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000 when he is sentenced in October. He is free on an unsecured $10,000 bond.
Schwartz said his client will wrap up his legislative and law duties before the October sentencing.
Cooper won a three-way Republican primary in August 2004 and then won the general election without any Democratic opposition. He was re-elected two years ago with 62 percent of the vote.
Associated Press correspondent David Lieb in Jefferson City contributed to this report.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
**PREVIOUS STORY**
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- A state legislator from southeast Missouri pleads guilty to fraud charges stemming from legal services he provided on immigration matters.
Representative Nathan Cooper, a Republican from Cape Girardeau, is an attorney specializing in immigration law.
Federal prosecutors say he pleaded guilty today to an illegal scheme to obtain temporary worker visas for his clients in the trucking business.
The 33-year-old legislator did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Prosecutors say Cooper developed a scheme to persuade the government to issue improper visas to his clients in the trucking industry who complained of chronic worker shortages.
He faces up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to half a million dollars when he is sentenced in October.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
ping
I had no idea there was a shortage of American citizen workers in the trucking business. I bet this is also a shock to the truckers whose livelihood has been encroached on by the influx of illegal aliens. Or am I missing something?
Bttt!
Good riddance scum bag.
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