A Rockford man will spend at least the next 31 years of his life in prison after being sentenced Tuesday, Dec. 9, for home invasion and the armed robbery of a Rochelle home earlier this year.

Mark A. Cooper, 48, of Rockford, was sentenced to 58 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on concurrent sentences of 29 years for the home invasion and armed robbery at the Rochelle home in February. He will then serve an additional 20 years for being an armed habitual criminal.

He must serve 50% of the home invasion and armed robbery sentences and 85% of the habitual criminal sentence, making him eligible for release in 2054, Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten said.

The sentences were levied by Associate Judge Anthony Peska, who at the start of the hearing denied Cooper’s motions for a new trial, which prompted Cooper to refuse to remain in the courtroom

“I don’t want to be here for the sentencing,” Cooper told Peska. “I don’t want to be here.”

Peska warned Cooper that under Illinois law he could be sentenced in absentia. Cooper persisted that he did not want to be at the hearing.

When deputies began to escort Cooper out of the courtroom, he continued yelling at Peska and then turned his anger on the deputies.

“Get your hands off me,” he yelled at the deputies. “Let go of me man. I am going to spit in this [expletive’s] face. Man let me go.”

An Ogle County jury convicted Cooper on Oct. 22 following a 2-day trial during which he chose to represent himself after repeatedly declining the services of a public defender.

Cooper was charged with entering the home of a Rochelle couple in the 100 block of Seventh Avenue around 6 p.m. Feb. 21, robbing them while brandishing a handgun, and then “pistol whipping” the husband before leaving with the man’s wallet

During the trial, Cooper claimed he entered the townhome to “rescue” a “loved one” who worked as an online escort and had entered the home.

On Wednesday, Cooper told Peska he was entering motions for a new trial because he was not allowed to enter his own evidence during the trial.

“The judge is supposed to support the defendant’s rights,” Cooper argued. “You conspired with the prosecution to procure a conviction. I was wrong about you man.”

Peska disagreed, telling Cooper his arguments had been heard and argued in open court. He also said Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten had spent additional time and expended extra effort to help him [Cooper] understand trial procedures and enter evidence.

“As a whole you handicapped me,” Cooper replied. “Every motion I made was denied.”

Cooper also wanted to know what “method” jurors had used to determine his guilt.

“That is not something the jury has to answer,” responded Peska.

Leisten agreed. “No one is entitled to know why they ruled a certain way.”

But Cooper continued to argue, again objecting to Peska’s denial of his motions, claiming that his constitutional rights had been violated during the process.

“These were issues that were brought up during the trial. The rulings that were made were proper. I think everything you allege in your motions is untrue,” Peska said. “Your motions are denied.”

Conduct in jail

After Cooper was escorted out of the courtroom, the sentencing hearing continued with Leisten calling two Ogle County correctional officers as witnesses to testify to aggravating factors involving Cooper during his incarceration.

Aggravation is one of the phases of a sentencing hearing at which testimony can be presented to justify a harsher sentence. Mitigating factors – offered by the defense – can also be made in an attempt to receive a lesser sentence.

A female corrections officer testified Cooper had directed “vulgar” and obscene comments at her while she was making welfare checks on inmates. When he was told to stop making the lewd, sexual comments, she said Cooper replied he “was in jail and could say whatever he wanted to”.

Another corrections officer testified that Cooper was seen on video “defecating on the floor of a cell” and then smearing feces on the walls. That officer said Cooper had also urinated on his dinner tray before returning it to an officer.

Victim impact statement

Leisten then read a victim impact statement from the couple, who were also present at the sentencing hearing.

In that statement the couple said that as Christians they are “taught forgiveness” but noted there should still be “consequences for actions”.

“Things beside money were taken from us...peace of mind,” Leisten read from the statement. “If anyone comes to our door now our hearts race.”

They said the ordeal had made them paranoid that it could happen again. “Some things will never be the same for us. We trust the court to weigh all the factors and give a just sentence.”

Leisten said Cooper was a habitual criminal with several violence-related convictions, including second-degree murder in 2002 in Winnebago County.

Court documents accusing Cooper of being an armed habitual criminal show he had been convicted of two forcible felonies of robbery, and second-degree murder in Winnebago County in 2000 and 2002.

Jurors were informed Cooper had previous felony convictions, but were not provided with the nature of those convictions so as not to prejudice them in the Ogle County case.

“He is a true danger to whatever community he is in,” Leisten said. “For two decades he has been committing violent attacks. This was a violent attack that clearly left the a couple traumatized,” Leisten said.

Leisten also said a long sentence was needed to deter others.

“This is not a situation where we are looking at a young teenager. He’s basically been a career criminal,” Leisten said, adding that Cooper’s “ridiculous” behavior while in the Ogle County Jail should also be considered.

Peska agreed.

“His background speaks for itself. He defaced his own cell. He refused to be part of his own sentencing. His obscenities directed at the court and threatening to spit on a deputy. He put on a full display of his character,” Peska said.

“A person should be secure in their own home,” Peska continued. “Their [the couple’s] sense of innocence has been taken from them. They will never get that back.”