Last Chance To See 600 sq mi: Hidden
Missed Connections: Gefilte Fish...and "Chain Connections"
H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
Eric Cooper's trial for tampering with a government document, which begins this week, could end up just being about a man accused of signing his name to his ex-wife's car title without permission. But it could also open the door to a lot of grief for Cooper, the guy a variety of ex-wives and girlfriends say is a smooth-talking con man who built relationships on lies. Either way, we bet it'll be pretty interesting.
If you haven't heard of Cooper, here's a brief rundown: He's a 30-year-old man from San Jacinto County who graduated from Shepherd High School, worked several menial jobs and spent a year in jail for credit card abuse (he has also been arrested for bigamy, impersonating a peace officer and forgery). But a string of women claim he told them about a far different past: a career as a naval fighter pilot, former service as a Navy SEAL, a master's degree in business and a $2.7 million trust fund. Krystal Weber, now a nurse in the Texas Medical Center, believed him: She met Cooper on a dating website, married him soon afterward in Las Vegas and then started to find out things weren't quite as they seemed. Weber's parents started to find suspicious charges on their bank accounts, and when they went to confront Cooper they found him moving out of his and Krystal Weber's apartment. Cooper was arrested in January 2005 for allegedly signing his name to Weber's car title without her permission.
Weber's not the only one who says Cooper fabricated a military background: A former girlfriend says he carried an M-16 rifle in a briefcase, another says he spoke to a second-grade class at her son's elementary school in New Caney wearing dress whites and police in Lake Charles had told the Navy and Army that Cooper had a Navy uniform and another man's Army ID. For the record, Cooper really was in the Navy — for about three months in 1996 — and when the Chronicle interviewed him last year, he denied wearing or owning any military uniforms. But that doesn't explain a photo in the Chronicle taken in 2004 showing Cooper wearing a uniform. (For more on Cooper's alleged deceptions, check out the story from The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired Feb. 13.)
After Cooper was arrested on the document charge last year, he left town and was arrested again in Kansas for jumping bond and missing a court date; he says he went there to seek alternative bone cancer treatment. He's been in custody ever since. Now, he's confined to a wheelchair because, according to his attorney, he has diabetes and cancer. (Interestingly enough, the Chron reported last year that Cooper has been accused in the past of pretending to have diabetes and cancer — so we guess the current situation is either another con or a really tidy case of karma.) He maintains he's done nothing wrong and that the women, bitter after their relationships went bad, are conspiring against him.
Cooper faces up to 20 years in prison if he's convicted of tampering with the car title, but more important, a conviction could open him up to the long list of other accusations against him. At least 10 of his ex-wives and lovers have been subpoenaed to testify against Cooper; it's not clear whether they'll do so in the guilt-innocence phase or will be waiting in the wings for the punishment phase.
In either case, it looks like Cooper is going to need to come up with some really good stories to explain all this away.
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To whom it may concern...
Hello. My name is Christy. I live in the High Desert. (the Victorville area). County of San Bernardino. I found this "Eric Eugene Cooper" story VERY interesting!!!! I first heard of this story via a friend who contacted me after watching 20/20 on 8/11/06. She noted that this guy, who you call Eric Lee Cooper sounds exactly like my X~Fiance' (Steve Foley) who said he was the Commander of the "Blue Angels." He said so many things. The list is long! He said shortly after courting me that he had Leukemia. He pressed to get engaged quickly. And for me to be the beneficary of his estate. I didn't want anything to do with that. He s'posebly died on March 8, 2006. In our courting days, I found out that his other name was "Louis Rigor." He mentioned before he died that his Uncle (the Executor of his estate) would be contacting me. He did indeed, just an hour after he died. His Uncle sounded just like him. I even asked if I could record his voice as the similarity was so amazing! I have a couple tapes of both their voices, tho I believe "he" is one in the same. His Uncle even asked if I would take legal guardianship of his (Louis's) 2 yr. old nephew "Elijah." He was apart of our lives. He had just adopted Elijah from his sister. I have gone thru alot of emotional drama with him. And also, my roomate's son, he befriended & he was affected by his drama, as well. I let him into my heart, my life, into our home, and into the lives of my friends. We had just set a wedding date before he s'posebly died.
I don't know if this is the same guy but he looks VERY similar. I have photo's of our engagement. And a long list of what he left behind. The way I look @ things is..."You are not judged on the entrance into my life, but on the exit out of my life. He left an impression. Unfortunately!
I confided in family & friends along the way of our courting. Things weren't adding up. Two of my very closest friends called me & said, "Be careful!" He sounds like an Imposter. One of those friends, husbands works for the Sheriff Dept. of a nearby town. Actually, Louis/Steve mentioned knowing my friends husband while flying over the High Desert one nite. He is well known as a Con Man here in the High Desert. He worked for a local elementary school as a security guard.
What is also very interesting is...the brother-in-law of Louis/Steve used to work for the same Sheriff Dept. of my friend's husband. Louis/Steve's wife's sister is married to that Sheriff Deputy who is now residing in Tennessee or Arkansas. My mother did some investigating with the Chaplain @ the El Centro Naval Base where Louis/Steve was stationed. Steve Foley knew of no girl with my name in the High Desert. My mother called me to deliver the bad news...my fiance' is an Imposter of the Commander of the Blue Angels. My girlfriend's went online to find him by his alias's and to no avail. \
If this is the same Officer, I want to help if I can. I am sure there are others who he charmed right here in the High Desert if there are a few in Texas. This is only a dent into my life with him. And he said he was a God~fearing man. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. That is the farthest from the TRUTH. The car he drove...I ran his license plate & it came back "Classified." A word he used often. Is he related to a Donald Franks? That is the name of his grandfather who lives locally. And also the name of his Uncle who lives in Texas.
Thanx for your time...
Christy