The Associated Press
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SANTA ANA, Calif. — A convicted felon was charged with impersonating a Los Angeles County firefighter, authorities said.
James Charles Campbell, 45, was charged Friday with two felony counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one misdemeanor count of fraudulently impersonating fire personnel, the Orange County district attorney's office said.
Prosecutors say that starting in 2001, Campbell showed up at the scenes of national and local disasters, including the World Trade Center after Sept. 11, 2001, as well as hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
He also is accused of gaining access to front lines of two California wildfires in 2006.
Campbell was arrested Sept. 7. Prosecutors say police, following up on a two-month investigation, found a handgun and shotgun at his home. Felons are not allowed to carry guns.
It was not immediately known who Campbell had retained as an attorney. He was free on $20,000 bail and is set to be arraigned Tuesday.
Campbell allegedly created a DVD of some of his firefighting excursions, which may have been used to promote his business, Frontline Safety Products, which sold safety equipment and taught first aid courses, mostly to construction companies and government agencies.
Campbell had no chance of being a real firefighter. While working as a paramedic in Arizona, he was convicted of credit card fraud in 1987. His paramedic's license was revoked and the felony would have prevented him from joining the Los Angeles County Fire Department, authorities said.
If convicted, Campbell faces a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in prison.
