Posers beware it is a crime to impersonate a member of the US military, just ask AF pilot Lisa "
Convict" Phillips..
Fake captain receives real prison time
Andrea Weigl, Staff Writer
RALEIGH - Not long ago, Lisa Jane Phillips wore an Air Force captain's uniform while striding the campus of Meredith College. As a result, she will soon don another uniform: the khaki pants and shirt that women wear in federal prisons.
Phillips, 35, of Apex, was sentenced Monday to a year and a day in prison for impersonating a military officer for almost three years. It was such a convincing charade, complete with claims that she suffered life-threatening injuries in combat, that she took the private women's college for $42,000 in tuition. She since has repaid the college.
Starting in August 2002, Phillips went to classes wearing flight suits bearing a captain's insignia, an American flag and an embroidered name tag. Other times, she wore a uniform replete with medals: a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star, even a medal given to World War II veterans. She told of flying fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq and of being wounded in action.
New details revealing how the lie began, and the extent to which she fooled Meredith officials, came out in court documents mistakenly filed publicly last week. A magistrate judge has since ordered the records sealed.
What prosecutors described as Phillips' "calculated fraud" began with a simple lie to a friend, according to Phillips' interview with a Raleigh psychologist, a report of which was included in the papers. The friend expressed admiration for Phillips' claimed military service, a degree of respect that Phillips had never experienced, the psychologist wrote.
On Monday, Phillips' attorneys told U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle that Phillips as a child suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse. She was left to live on her own at 16.
As an adult, they said, she struggled with addictions to painkillers and sleeping pills.
"I don't think she intended to dishonor or disrespect anyone in the military," said one of Phillips' attorneys, William "Woody" Webb Jr. of Raleigh. "I think she just wanted people to like and respect her."
Phillips "admitted frantic attempts to maintain the lie," buying medals and uniforms off the Internet, according to the psychological report.
Phillips was absent from school for periods in 2003 and 2004, claiming to be deployed abroad. She used a university laptop computer to send e-mail to faculty, students and staff detailing life in a war zone, according to a pre-sentencing investigation. She wrote graphic descriptions of combat and sent photos of wounded soldiers and children. She described her "war-induced anguish" and asked for prayers.
Phillips also fabricated e-mail from her commanding officer saying that she had suffered life-threatening injuries, the court records say. In follow-up messages, Phillips wrote that she had been flown home on Air Force One so President Bush could present her with medals.
While she was gone, faculty hung a Blue Star service flag, a banner displayed by military families to show a loved one is serving in the armed forces, in the college president's office.
Phillips' facade was so convincing that Meredith faculty recommended she ask the school for free tuition to reward her military service. Phillips was too embarrassed to tell the truth, the psychological report said.
Phillips received $41,178 in free tuition and, according to the pre-sentencing report, a $1,000 scholarship that came with an award: the Martha Nell Tucker Award for "attitude toward life that demonstrated the virtues of courage and self-giving."
But the college's police chief, who had served in the military, alerted authorities when he became suspicious of Phillips. Her scheme ended in January 2005 when FBI agents confronted Phillips.
A Meredith spokeswoman declined to describe what changes have been made to ensure the college will not be defrauded again.
"We are grateful to the federal authorities for their work to prosecute this case," said Kristi Eaves-McLennan, a Meredith spokeswoman.
Phillips' attorneys had argued for a lighter sentence because she has repaid the school, completed drug treatment and been sober for 18 months, lives on her own and works full time.
Before sentencing, Phillips told the judge: "I'd like to apologize to Meredith ... for what I have done."
However, prosecutors thought Phillips needed to serve prison time for her "elaborate ruse."
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hayden, a military veteran, read excerpts from e-mail that veterans sent prosecutors. According to Hayden, one veteran wrote, "She sought to make herself a hero and example. I say fine -- let's make an example of her so that others will be less likely to follow suit."
Staff writer Andrea Weigl can be reached at 829-4848 or
aweigl@newsobserver.com.
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