Glenis “Chip” Campbell, a Cordova resident who spent years pretending to be an attorney, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years in prison after prosecutors said clients were cheated out of thousands of dollars. A judge also ordered full restitution to the victims, according to court records and prosecutors.
According to WREG, Campbell pleaded guilty to 13 separate indictments and received a 12-year sentence that prosecutors said comes with a 35% service requirement before Campbell can even be considered for release. Prosecutors also told the court Campbell must repay every victim in full, the outlet reported.
Victims Say Home Visits And Cash Deals Fueled The Scam
Investigators said Campbell’s scheme stretched over several years and hit at least a dozen people, with losses ranging from a few thousand dollars to more than $40,000. Action News 5 spoke with victims who said Campbell often pushed for cash or money orders and sold the image of a “people’s attorney” who came to their homes instead of working out of a traditional office.
Victims Describe A Pattern Of Impersonation And Charm
Campbell has a long criminal history that victims and reporters said made the act more convincing. Court records show Campbell previously pleaded guilty to impersonating a licensed professional in 2008 and has older convictions going back to the 1990s. “Oh man, he could charm the pants off a dead person,” victim Rick Stewart told Action News 5, recalling how Campbell worked through his friends and family to reel in new clients.
Investigators Checked The License That Never Existed
Memphis police and investigators with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility and found no record that Campbell was licensed to practice law in Tennessee, according to WREG. The board maintains a public attorney directory at the Board of Professional Responsibility website where anyone can verify a lawyer’s license status and disciplinary history.
Legal Context
Prosecutors said Campbell was convicted on counts that included financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult, impersonating a licensed professional and theft of property. Those crimes carry tougher penalties when the victims are especially vulnerable. Those offenses are laid out in state law under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-501 et seq.; see Justia for the statutory framework and penalties.
Victims in the case said the punishment offers some closure after years of confusion and financial fallout, while prosecutors said they hope the sentence sends a message to anyone thinking about running a similar operation. Officials said anyone who believes they were targeted in Campbell’s scheme should contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office or Memphis Police Department.
