Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

S.C. Department of Corrections indicted official stayed on job

Director of medical care worked about a year after fraud charge

The Department of Corrections official in charge of medical care for the state’s 24,000 inmates worked for about a year after being indicted on two charges, including a felony fraud charge.

Russell H. Campbell, Jr., deputy director over medical and health services, was charged Nov. 14, 2007 with defrauding an insurance company for a $5,000 life insurance policy on his father.

Campbell, a member of director Jon Ozmint’s executive staff, was suspended Wednesday without pay, prisons spokesman Josh Gelinas said.

“As soon as the Department of Corrections became aware of the indictments or any criminal charges against Russell Campbell, he was suspended,” Gelinas said. “We, as agency, became aware that he had been indicted Tuesday night.”

Campbell also was charged last November with a misdemeanor offense of making a false statement to collect on the policy for his deceased father, Russell H. Campbell, Sr.

The charges were filed by the state attorney general’s office, which notifies state agencies when an employee is indicted, spokesman Mark Plowden said.

Gelinas said the attorney general’s office notified the Department of Corrections of the indictment Tuesday.

Plowden did not know Thursday whether someone had notified the Department of Corrections last November.

Gelinas said no one besides Campbell has been disciplined and no internal investigation is under way.

“We’re still waiting on all the facts to come in,” he said.

Campbell, 40, of Columbia, was hired Feb. 27, 2006, Gelinas said.

An indictment says Campbell provided false information to Auto-Owners Life Insurance Co. on an insurance application, including his “father’s address and health condition.” The allegations date to July 11, 2002, indictments say. His father died in March, 2005.

Campbell’s attorney, Bill Toal, declined to comment Thursday.

Obtaining property by false pretenses is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, Plowden said.

Making a false statement or misrepresentation is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to three years in prison.

Campbell appeared in court in Richland County on Jan. 22 and was given a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, Plowden said, but never was taken into custody.

While Campbell was indicted on both charges Nov. 14, 2007, the felony indictment was dropped in September as prosecutors sought an indictment with slightly different language.

Campbell was indicted Oct. 15 on the same charge, Plowden said.

Campbell was a defendant in a $5 million lawsuit filed in August by Linda Dunlap, the director of clinical services, which was settled in October.

She alleged a “ruthless and unrelenting campaign of retaliation” by Campbell and Ozmint after she told state senators about corruption in the agency.

Attorney Lewis Cromer, who represented Dunlap, did not disclose details of the settlement Thursday, citing a confidentiality agreement between attorneys.

Reach Higgins at (803) 771-8570.