CONTACT: 919/856-4530
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday - April 7, 2005
RALEIGH - Acting United States Attorney George E. B. Holding announced that LISA JANE PHILLIPS was
indicted by a federal grand jury in Raleigh, N. C., on Thursday, April 7, 2005, for false impersonation of an
officer of the United States and related violations.
PHILLIPS, 34, of 5004 Buckingham Way, Apex, N. C., was named in a 12-count indictment. The charges included falsely impersonating an officer of the United States; falsely impersonating an officer of the United States in order to obtain a thing of value; making a false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of the U. S. Department of Defense; six counts of wire fraud; possessing without authority insignia of the Department of Defense; wearing without authority the uniform of the armed forces of the United States; and wearing without authority decorations and medals authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States. (Penalty sheet attached.)
According to the indictment, since approximately March 2002, PHILLIPS had been wearing a United States Air Force uniform with captain insignia and representing herself to be a Captain in the United States Air Force. Based on her false impersonation, officials at Meredith College, an independent private women's college in Raleigh, N. C., waived tuition and expenses associated with PHILLIPS' education, which were valued at approximately $42,178.00.
The indictment alleges that the Air Force uniform that PHILLIPS wore was decorated with the following military medals and ribbons:
Bronze Star (medal and ribbon)
Purple Heart (medal and ribbon)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Joint Service Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Investigation of the case was conducted jointly by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U. S. Attorney Kelly M. Perry is prosecuting the case for the United States.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A trial date has not been set.
News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney's web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.
Attachment
PENALTY SHEET - LISA JANE PHILLIPS
|
Counts |
Offense/Statute |
Penalty |
|
ONE and TWO |
Falsely assuming and pretending to
be an officer and employee of the
United States, Captain in the U.S.
Air Force;
18 U.S.C. 912 |
Not more than 3 years
imprisonment, and/or fine
$1,000.00, 1 year supervised
release, and special assessment
$100
(Each count) |
|
THREE |
Knowingly and willfully made a
false, fraudulent, and fictitious
material statement and
representation;
18 U.S.C. 1001 |
Not more than 5 years
imprisonment, and/or $250,000 fine,
1 year supervised release, and
special assessment of $100 |
|
FOUR thru NINE |
Devised and intended to devise a
scheme and artifice for obtaining
fraudulently, by means of materially
false and fraudulent pretenses,
money and tuition waivers;
18 U.S.C. 1343 |
Not more than 20 years
imprisonment, and/or $250,000 fine,
3 years supervised release, special
assessment $100.
(Each Count) |
|
TEN |
Possessing insignia, without authority; of the design prescribed by the head of the Department of Defense; 18 U.S.C. 701 | Not more than 6 months
imprisonment, and/or $5,000 fine,
Special assessment of $50. |
|
ELEVEN |
Wearing the uniform, without authority, of the armed forces of the United States, that is the U. S. Air Force; 18 U.S.C. 702 | Not more than 6 months imprisonment, and/or $5,000 fine, Special assessment of $50. |
|
TWELVE |
Knowingly wearing decorations and
medals, without authority,
authorized by Congress for the
armed forces of the United States;
18 U.S.C. 704(a) |
Not more than 1 year imprisonment, and/or $100,000 fine; 1 year supervised release, and special assessment of $25. |
