STOCKTON -- A California man was arrested in New Mexico after using a former classmate's identity to evade authorities for decades and claim government benefits.
Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, born in Stockton, is accused of taking the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, a University of Arkansas graduate who died in 1975 at 22 years old. Coffman, who was an engineering student, tragically died in a car accident just two months after graduating.
U.S. Marshals believe the connection between Campbell and Coffman is that they both attended the university at the same time.
Coffman, who was known to those closest to him as "Butch," had a job lined up for himself after graduation when his life was tragically cut short, according to his aunt, Sharon Ennis.
"To think that after all these years that this person has used his identity for his own gain is so sad, so devastating," said Ennis, who spoke to CBS13 only 24 hours after learning that her nephew's identity had been stolen.
Nearly a decade after Coffman's death, Campbell would make his first attempt at applying for government documents in his former classmate's name.
Campbell's alleged use of Coffman's identity started in 1984 when he applied for a passport as "Walter Lee Coffman." Over the years, Campbell renewed the passport several times, updating the photograph with a real image of himself and his actual address.
In 1995, Campbell obtained a replacement Social Security card using an Oklahoma driver's license, all in Coffman's name. The investigation that would follow, decades later, led investigators to believe Campbell received $140,000 in social security funds in Coffman's name.
In 2003, Campbell moved to New Mexico and bought property under Coffman's identity. He continued renewing the fraudulent passport in 2005 and 2015.
By 2019, Campbell's actions led government agencies to question them after he visited the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department, presenting fake documents to renew his driver's license under his stolen identity. After a renewed New Mexico license was issued to Campbell under Coffman's name, agents from the National Passport Center's Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman's death and the suspected decades-long fraudulent use of his identity.
During the years Campbell was using Coffman's identity, he was wanted by U.S. Marshals in a crime he was charged with under his real name in 1982.
In 1982, he was arrested in Wyoming for allegedly planting a bomb at the residence of his estranged wife's boyfriend, which exploded. His estranged wife opened the toolbox that contained the bomb, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico, and the resulting explosion caused her to lose a finger and suffer other injuries. The blast also started fires in the residence and a neighboring residential unit.
After being released on bond, Campbell failed to appear in court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Campbell stayed under the radar until February 2025, when the case against him was enough for law enforcement to obtain arrest and search warrants for his property in Weed, New Mexico.
When authorities arrived, Campbell was set up in a hidden spot with a scoped rifle, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Mexico. After flashbangs were used to disorient him, he was taken into custody. Authorities say Campbell's rifle was loaded and ready to fire with high-powered ammunition.
After his arrest, Campbell's fingerprints confirmed his true identity and the active warrant for attempted murder. A search of his property revealed 57 firearms and large amounts of ammunition, even though Campbell was prohibited from owning guns.
For the Coffman family, the news was both shocking and painful.
Ennis described "Butch" as a smart, focused young man with a promising future. "It's hard to take that this person would desecrate his name for his own gain," she said. Campbell is facing charges of misusing a passport and will remain in custody until his trial. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
Authorities are also reviewing the evidence found at his property and may file more charges.
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