Former Oklahoma City nursing home operator faces prison time

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A former nursing home operator faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts in Oklahoma City federal court. <br/><br/>Ricky Lynn Cooper pleaded guilty

Saturday, October 8th 2005, 11:35 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A former nursing home operator faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to two felony counts in Oklahoma City federal court.

Ricky Lynn Cooper pleaded guilty yesterday to making false statements in applying for a $450,000 small business loan and evading federal financial reporting requirements.

Cooper was charged last fall with 53 counts of fraud for his actions between October 1999 and July 2001.

A federal indictment accused him of defrauding federal and state governments and a bank out of $6-million by falsely collecting loans and health care funds to illegally run five nursing homes.

The indictment was replaced last week by two lesser felony counts after Cooper's plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Each count carries up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and mandatory restitution.