Mailer depicts Illinois lawmaker naked, police investigate

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Authorities are investigating who's responsible for a mailer showing an altered picture of a female Illinois state lawmaker that depicts her in the nude.

The State Journal-Register reports (http://bit.ly/2eH6obx ) that the fake image of Republican state Rep. Avery Bourne was sent to people in central Illinois. Bourne's Democratic opponent in her re-election bid, Mike Mathis, denounced the mailer and says it "goes beyond a late campaign dirty trick."

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp said Thursday he received a couple of calls from people who had received the mailer. Authorities did not say how many mailers were sent out. The Illinois State Police has opened a criminal investigation.

Avery represents a district south of the state Capitol. The 24-year-old lawmaker is the youngest in the Illinois Legislature.