Nonlaywer with Multistate Practice Sentenced to 12 Years

A man posing as a lawyer while running a multistate law practice has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, he defrauded over 100 victims and collected more than $200,000 in attorney fees.

Leaford George Cameron, 65, of Burlington, New Jersey, was convicted of one count of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of making false statements. The substantial prison sentence was sought after by the government in response to Cameron’s, “repeated and brazen behavior in posing, for decades, as a licensed attorney in numerous legal cases pending in federal and state courts across the United States.” (According to justice.gov) Cameron’s sentencing marks the third time he has been caught impersonating a lawyer, this time while on probation from a 2014 conviction.

According to McKenzie Law Firm, most white-collar charges are filed in federal courts. A conviction can result in fines, prison terms, or numerous civil suits for disgorgement. Disgorgement involves the convicted individual turning over to the government any profits obtained because of the crime, restitution or repayment, or payment for other damages that may be provided by law.

Using a made-up law firm name, Cameron had business cards, letters, and envelopes printed in order to make the practice look legitimate. In order to mislead the courts, he used Attorney Identification Numbers stolen from licensed Pennsylvania attorneys and regularly stated that he was licensed to practice law, even under the penalty of perjury.

Many of Cameron’s victims were immigrants and low-income individuals. Most did not obtain a favorable outcome in the courts. In one instance, a client’s home was foreclosed. In another instance, a National Honor Society student was wrongfully deported.

According to McSwain, “The evidence presented at trial proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that this defendant was not only a phony lawyer, but also an incompetent phony lawyer. Lawyers take an oath to uphold and promote the rule of law, not subvert it. Far from a guardian of the law, Cameron is a crook whose fraud caused serious harm to his victims and the public’s trust in our legal institutions. For justice to prevail, people must be able to trust that their lawyer is, in fact, a lawyer; that the judge assigned to their case is, in fact, a judge; and that the legal system is, in fact, fair. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Cameron’s conduct and the decades of disrespect he showed towards our legal system.”

The case was investigated by Special Agent Thomas Eyre of Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, along with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The government was represented in the trial by former Assistant United States Attorney James Petkun and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Velez.