Thomas Cooper, Attempted Election Fraud, West Virginia 2020

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Pendleton County Mail Carrier Sentenced for Attempted Election Fraud

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – In a shocking turn of events, Thomas Cooper, a 48-year-old mail carrier in Pendleton County, was sentenced to five years of probation, with the first six months home confinement, for attempted election fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard announced. This disturbing incident has left many questioning the integrity of the electoral process in West Virginia.

Cooper, a resident of Dry Fork, West Virginia, pled guilty in July 2020 to one count of ‘Attempt to Defraud the Residents of West Virginia of a Fair Election’ and one count of ‘Injury to the Mail.’ Cooper held a U.S. Postal Service contract to deliver mail in Pendleton County, and it was during this time that the attempted election fraud took place.

In April 2020, the Clerk of Pendleton County received ‘2020 Primary Election COVID-19 Mail-In Absentee Request’ forms from eight voters on which the voter’s party-ballot request appeared to have been altered. The clerk reported the finding to the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office, which began an investigation.

The investigation found five ballot requests that had been altered from ‘Democrat’ to ‘Republican.’ On three other requests, the party wasn’t changed, but the request had been altered. This brazen attempt to manipulate the election process is a stark reminder of the importance of election security.

Cooper was responsible for the mail delivery of the three towns from which the tampered requests were mailed: Onego, Riverton, and Franklin, West Virginia. Cooper admitted today to altering some of the requests.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office, the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated. U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the case.

Cooper’s sentence is a significant step towards holding those responsible for election interference accountable. This case serves as a warning to anyone who would seek to undermine the integrity of our electoral process.