An El Dorado man arrested on charges of domestic battery and felony drug possession faced his first appearance yesterday, where bond was set at $10,000 cash or corporate surety.
Michael R. Cooper, 48, of El Dorado appeared before Union County District Court Judge Jack Barker yesterday with his attorney John Lightfoot. Cooper is accused of attacking a woman on the Mystic Creek Golf Course in a meth-induced incident that took place on Oct. 6.
Barker began the hearing by listing the charges against Cooper: possession of a controlled substance – methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, third-degree domestic battery, possession of the instruments of a crime, resisting arrest and failure to appear. Cooper faces up to 12 years in prison and a little over two years in the county jail if convicted.
Initially arrested on Oct. 6 on the domestic battery, possession of instruments and resisting charges, Cooper was arrested twice more between then and today’s appearance. On Oct. 11, he was arrested for failure to appear in court, and on Tuesday, he was arrested in downtown El Dorado on the possession of meth and
paraphernalia charges.
Cooper did not speak during his hearing. He stood with his hands behind his back, except when signing documents. He turned to the gallery once to smile at his wife, who was in attendance.
Union County deputy prosecutor Lane Reeder asked that Cooper be required to wear a GPS monitoring device should he bond out. Reeder said Cooper is not originally from this area and has family and friends he is connected with in any other states, thus making him a flight risk. Reeder also asked that Cooper be required to surrender his passport.
“I do feel at this time that the GPS is necessary … give some assurance to the community that he’s not out,” Judge Barker said. Barker also agreed that Cooper must surrender his passport.
Lightfoot requested that a previous bond Cooper posted, $5,000 cash for his failure to appear charge, be returned to him, but Barker denied the request. Lightfoot noted that during a later hearing, he may ask for the GPS monitoring requirements to be amended so that Cooper may attend an out-of-state drug treatment program.
Cooper was ordered to maintain a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. each day and to abstain from alcohol or drug use. He is also not permitted to have a firearm in his possession while he is on bond.
Lightfoot said Cooper planned to bond out as soon as possible. Union County Sheriff Ricky Roberts said he was booked out at about 4:45 yesterday afternoon.
Cooper was formerly employed by Murphy USA. A Michael Cooper was formerly employed by the company as a senior vice president and the chief information officer. Senior VP and general counsel for the company John Moore said yesterday that the executive left the company a week ago.
Cooper’s next appearance will be in the Union County Circuit Court.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].