Steven Jay Russell: Difference between revisions

Steven Jay Russell
Steven Jay Russell
Born	December 31, 1957 (age 66)
Nationality	American
Occupation	Con artist
Known for	Multiple successful escapes from several prisons

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Steven Jay Russell (born December 31, 1957) is an American con artist, known for escaping from prison multiple times.

I Love You Phillip Morris, a film about his life and crimes, was produced in 2009.

Life and crimes

Allan B. Polunsky Unit, where Russell was located

Russell was adopted in 1957 after his birth parents divorced^[1] by Georgia and David Russell, whose family owned a produce business.^[2] At the age of 18, he began working for the family business, and he also volunteered as a reserve sheriff's deputy and played organ for his church.^[1]^[2] In 1976, he married Debbie Davis, daughter of the police chief's secretary, and their daughter, Stephanie, was born two years later.^[3] Russell and his wife divorced after he revealed to her that he was gay.^[2]

Russell began to support himself through a variety of scams including faking slip and fall accidents and selling counterfeit Rolex watches, leading him to be arrested for fraud.^[3] In 1995 he began a relationship with fellow inmate Phillip Morris.^[4]

On March 20, 1998, Russell posed as a millionaire from Virginia in an attempt to legitimize a $75,000 loan from NationsBank in Dallas; when bank officials became suspicious and alerted the police, Russell feigned a heart attack and was transported to the hospital. Russell was placed on security watch, but he impersonated an FBI agent and called the hospital on his mobile telephone to tell them he could be released.^[5]

U.S. Marshals later tracked Russell to Florida, where they arrested him on April 5, 1998, when he went to retrieve a fax. Russell was sentenced to a total of 144 years in prison (99 years for the escapes and 45 years for subsequent scams).

As of 2010, Russell was in the Allan B. Polunsky Unit^[6]^[7] on a 23-hour lockup, only having one free hour a day to shower and exercise. He was previously held in the Mark W. Michael Unit and the W.J. Estelle Unit.^[8]^[9] His maximum sentence date was March 13, 2113, and he became eligible for parole on December 15, 2020.^[6]

On February 7, 2023, Russell was granted parole. His release date was on July 11th, 2024.^[10]

In media

A film about his life and crimes was produced in 2009, named I Love You Phillip Morris, starring Jim Carrey as Russell^[11] and Ewan McGregor as his boyfriend Phillip Morris.^[12]

Since the movie went into production and Russell's story became more popular, several articles appeared in print and online uncovering lesser known details of his exploits. Esquire magazine interviewed both Russell and Morris for its feature, "The Great Escapee",^[3] while The Guardian published "I Love You, Phillip Morris: A Conman's Story".^[1]

In 2011, his crimes were featured on the television series I Almost Got Away with It, in the episode "Got A Boyfriend to Support". He was also the subject of "On The Run", a 2005 episode of The Discovery Channel series King of Cons.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Day, Elizabeth (September 6, 2009). "I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story". The Guardian.
^ ^a ^b ^c McVicker, Steve (March 16, 2011). "To Hollywood and back". Fort Worth Weekly.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hannaford, Alex (February 2010). "The Great Escapee". Esquire. pp. 88–93. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Scribd.
^ Day, Elizabeth (September 26, 2009). "King Con: A passion for escape". Fort Worth Weekly.
^ The Lakekand Ledger, April 10, 1998, via google news, with a photo of S. Russell, page B5 (10 in the google reader).
^ ^a ^b "RUSSELL, STEVEN L Archived November 17, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on November 30, 2019. TDCJ ID: 00760259, SID: 05138971
^ Stein, Joshua David. "Ewan McGregor: Filthy and Gorgeous." (Archived August 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine) Out. Friday February 12, 2010. Retrieved on December 10, 2010. "[...] the two live lavishly until Russell gets caught and goes to prison for the rest of his life (Escape, Case No. 9,856-C). Russell -- Inmate No. 00760259 -- has a maximum sentence that would keep him imprisoned until July 12, 2140 -- 47,595 days after the film opens."
^ Day, Elizabeth. "I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story." The Observer. Sunday September 6, 2009. Retrieved on December 10, 2010.
^ McVicker, Steve (February 6, 1997). "King Con". Houston Press. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
^ "Parole Review Information". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
^ "Jim Carrey Loves Phillip Morris". JustPressPlay.net.^{[dead link‍]}
^ Rodney (December 18, 2007). "Ewan McGregor Cast In I Love You Phillip Morris". The Movie Blog. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

External links

McVicker, Steve (June 25, 2003). I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks. Miramax Books. ISBN 0-7868-6903-8.
McWilliams, James (July 4, 2003). "The Master Manipulator". The Texas Observer. Archived from the original on October 2, 2006. Retrieved September 19, 2006.
McVicker, Steve (March 16, 2011). "To Hollywood And Back". Fort Worth Weekly.

[Guardian-1] Day, Elizabeth (September 6, 2009). "I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story". The Guardian.

[Fort_Worth-2] McVicker, Steve (March 16, 2011). "To Hollywood and back". Fort Worth Weekly.

[Esquire-3] Hannaford, Alex (February 2010). "The Great Escapee". Esquire. pp. 88–93. Retrieved November 13, 2022 – via Scribd.

[Independent-4] Day, Elizabeth (September 26, 2009). "King Con: A passion for escape". Fort Worth Weekly.

[5] The Lakekand Ledger, April 10, 1998, via google news, with a photo of S. Russell, page B5 (10 in the google reader).

[TDCJ-6] "RUSSELL, STEVEN L Archived November 17, 2020, at the Wayback Machine". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on November 30, 2019. TDCJ ID: 00760259, SID: 05138971

[7] Stein, Joshua David. "Ewan McGregor: Filthy and Gorgeous." (Archived August 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine) Out. Friday February 12, 2010. Retrieved on December 10, 2010. "[...] the two live lavishly until Russell gets caught and goes to prison for the rest of his life (Escape, Case No. 9,856-C). Russell -- Inmate No. 00760259 -- has a maximum sentence that would keep him imprisoned until July 12, 2140 -- 47,595 days after the film opens."

[8] Day, Elizabeth. "I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story." The Observer. Sunday September 6, 2009. Retrieved on December 10, 2010.

[9] McVicker, Steve (February 6, 1997). "King Con". Houston Press. Retrieved July 9, 2021.

[10] "Parole Review Information". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved February 9, 2023.

[11] "Jim Carrey Loves Phillip Morris". JustPressPlay.net.^{[dead link‍]}

[12] Rodney (December 18, 2007). "Ewan McGregor Cast In I Love You Phillip Morris". The Movie Blog. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|American con-artist}}
+{{Short description|Con-artist with multiple prison escapes}}
 {{BLP sources|date=September 2013}}
+{{ infobox person
-{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
-{{Infobox person
-|name =
-Steven Jay Russell
-|image       =
-|image_size    =
-|caption     =
 |birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1957|12|31}}
-|birth_place =
-|death_date  =
-|death_place =
-|other_names =
 |known_for   = Multiple successful escapes from several prisons
 |occupation  = [[Con artist]]
 |nationality = American
 }}
-[[File:PolunskyUnitWestLivingstonTX.jpg|thumb|[[Allan B. Polunsky Unit]], where Russell is located]]
-'''Steven Jay Russell''' (born December 31, 1957) is an American [[con artist]], known for [[List of people who escaped multiple times from prison|escaping from prison multiple times]]. ''[[I Love You Phillip Morris]]'', a film about his life and crimes, was produced in 2009. In 2011, his crimes were featured on the television series ''[[I Almost Got Away with It]]'', in the episode "Got A Boyfriend to Support". He was also the subject of "On The Run", a 2005 episode of [[The Discovery Channel]] series ''King of Cons''.
+'''Steven Jay Russell''' (born December 31, 1957) is an American [[con artist]], known for escaping from prison multiple times.
-==Biography==
-Russell was adopted in 1957 after his birth parents divorced.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/06/steven-russell-elizabeth-day-jim-carrey |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |first=Elizabeth |last=Day |title=I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story |date=September 6, 2009}}</ref> He was adopted by Georgia and David Russell, whose family owned a produce business.<ref name="Fort Worth">{{cite news |url=https://www.fwweekly.com/2011/03/16/to-hollywood-and-back/ |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Weekly]] |first=Steve |last=McVicker |title=To Hollywood and back | date=March 16, 2011}}</ref> At the age of 18 he began working for the family business, and also volunteered as a reserve sheriff's deputy and played organ for his church.<ref name="Guardian"/><ref name="Fort Worth"/> In 1976 he married Debbie Davis, daughter of the police chief's secretary, and their daughter, Stephanie, was born two years later.<ref name="Esquire">{{cite magazine |last=Hannaford |first=Alex |date=February 2010 |magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |pages=88–93 |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/44574829/The-Great-Escapee |title=The Great Escapee |access-date=2022-11-13 |via=[[Scribd]]}}</ref> Russell and his wife divorced after he revealed to her he was gay.<ref name="Fort Worth"/>
+''[[I Love You Phillip Morris]]'', a film about his life and crimes, was produced in 2009.
-On March 20, 1998, Russell posed as a millionaire from [[Virginia]] in an attempt to legitimize a $75,000 loan from [[NationsBank]] in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]; when bank officials became suspicious and alerted the police, Russell feigned a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] and was transported to the hospital. Russell was placed on security watch, but he impersonated an FBI agent and called the hospital on his cell phone to tell them he could be released.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=rwEhk56xNqMC&dat=19980410&printsec=frontpage ''The Lakekand Ledger''], April 10, 1998, via google news, with a photo of S. Russell, page B5 (10 in the google reader).</ref>
+== Life and crimes ==
-[[U.S. Marshals]] later tracked down Russell in Florida, where they arrested him on April 5, 1998, when he went to retrieve a [[fax]]. Russell was sentenced to a total of 144 years in prison (99 years for the escapes and 45 years for subsequent scams).
+[[File:PolunskyUnitWestLivingstonTX.jpg|thumb|[[Allan B. Polunsky Unit]], where Russell was located]]
+Russell was adopted in 1957 after his birth parents divorced<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/06/steven-russell-elizabeth-day-jim-carrey |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |first=Elizabeth |last=Day |title=I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story |date=September 6, 2009}}</ref> by Georgia and David Russell, whose family owned a produce business.<ref name="Fort Worth">{{cite news |url=https://www.fwweekly.com/2011/03/16/to-hollywood-and-back/ |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Weekly]] |first=Steve |last=McVicker |title=To Hollywood and back | date=March 16, 2011}}</ref> At the age of 18, he began working for the family business, and he also volunteered as a reserve sheriff's deputy and played organ for his church.<ref name="Guardian"/><ref name="Fort Worth"/> In 1976, he married Debbie Davis, daughter of the police chief's secretary, and their daughter, Stephanie, was born two years later.<ref name="Esquire">{{cite magazine |last=Hannaford |first=Alex |date=February 2010 |magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]] |pages=88–93 |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/44574829/The-Great-Escapee |title=The Great Escapee |access-date=2022-11-13 |via=[[Scribd]]}}</ref> Russell and his wife divorced after he revealed to her that he was gay.<ref name="Fort Worth"/>
-As of 2010, Russell is in the [[Allan B. Polunsky Unit]]<ref name="TDCJ">"[https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action;jsessionid=ba2083259255d1714a326fddd3de?sid=05138971 RUSSELL, STEVEN L<!--Despite the fact the middle initial is L, this in fact is the profile for Steven J Russell as it's the only Steven Russell with the birthdate and crimes-->]". [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on November 30, 2019. TDCJ ID: 00760259, SID: 05138971</ref><ref>Stein, Joshua David. "[http://out.com/detail.asp?id=26508 Ewan McGregor: Filthy and Gorgeous]." ({{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807132616/http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=26508|date=August 7, 2011}}) ''[[Out (magazine)|Out]]''. Friday February 12, 2010. Retrieved on December 10, 2010. "[...] the two live lavishly until Russell gets caught and goes to prison for good (Escape, Case No. 9,856-C). Russell -- Inmate No. 00760259 -- has a maximum sentence that would keep him imprisoned until July 12, 2140 -- 47,595 days after the film opens."</ref> on a 23-hour lockup, only having one free hour a day to shower and exercise. He was previously held in the [[Mark W. Michael Unit]] and the [[W.J. Estelle Unit]].<ref>Day, Elizabeth. "[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/06/steven-russell-elizabeth-day-jim-carrey I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story]." ''[[The Observer]]''. Sunday September 6, 2009. Retrieved on December 10, 2010.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McVicker|first=Steve|date=1997-02-06|title=King Con|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/news/king-con-6571179|access-date=2021-07-09|website=Houston Press}}</ref> His maximum sentence date is March 13, 2113 and he became eligible for parole on December 15, 2020.<ref name="TDCJ"/>
+Russell began to support himself through a variety of scams including faking [[slip and fall]] accidents and selling counterfeit [[Rolex]] watches, leading him to be arrested for fraud.<ref name="Esquire"/> In 1995 he began a relationship with fellow inmate Phillip Morris.<ref name="Independent">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/life/king-con-a-passion-for-escape/26569243.html |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Weekly]] |first=Elizabeth |last=Day |title=King Con: A passion for escape | date=September 26, 2009}}</ref>
-==In media==
+On March 20, 1998, Russell posed as a millionaire from [[Virginia]] in an attempt to legitimize a $75,000 loan from [[NationsBank]] in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]; when bank officials became suspicious and alerted the police, Russell feigned a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]] and was transported to the hospital. Russell was placed on security watch, but he impersonated an FBI agent and called the hospital on his mobile telephone to tell them he could be released.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=rwEhk56xNqMC&dat=19980410&printsec=frontpage ''The Lakekand Ledger''], April 10, 1998, via google news, with a photo of S. Russell, page B5 (10 in the google reader).</ref>
+[[U.S. Marshals]] later tracked Russell to Florida, where they arrested him on April 5, 1998, when he went to retrieve a [[fax]]. Russell was sentenced to a total of 144 years in prison (99 years for the escapes and 45 years for subsequent scams).
+As of 2010, Russell was in the [[Allan B. Polunsky Unit]]<ref name="TDCJ">"[https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action;jsessionid=ba2083259255d1714a326fddd3de?sid=05138971 RUSSELL, STEVEN L<!--Despite the fact the middle initial is L, this in fact is the profile for Steven J Russell as it's the only Steven Russell with the birthdate and crimes-->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117155259/https://offender.tdcj.texas.gov/OffenderSearch/offenderDetail.action;jsessionid=ba2083259255d1714a326fddd3de?sid=05138971 |date=November 17, 2020 }}". [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on November 30, 2019. TDCJ ID: 00760259, SID: 05138971</ref><ref>Stein, Joshua David. "[http://out.com/detail.asp?id=26508 Ewan McGregor: Filthy and Gorgeous]." ({{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807132616/http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=26508|date=August 7, 2011}}) ''[[Out (magazine)|Out]]''. Friday February 12, 2010. Retrieved on December 10, 2010. "[...] the two live lavishly until Russell gets caught and goes to prison for the rest of his life (Escape, Case No. 9,856-C). Russell -- Inmate No. 00760259 -- has a maximum sentence that would keep him imprisoned until July 12, 2140 -- 47,595 days after the film opens."</ref> on a 23-hour lockup, only having one free hour a day to shower and exercise. He was previously held in the [[Mark W. Michael Unit]] and the [[W.J. Estelle Unit]].<ref>Day, Elizabeth. "[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/sep/06/steven-russell-elizabeth-day-jim-carrey I love you Phillip Morris: a conman's story]." ''[[The Observer]]''. Sunday September 6, 2009. Retrieved on December 10, 2010.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=McVicker|first=Steve|date=1997-02-06|title=King Con|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/news/king-con-6571179|access-date=2021-07-09|website=Houston Press}}</ref> His maximum sentence date was March 13, 2113, and he became eligible for parole on December 15, 2020.<ref name="TDCJ"/>
+On February 7, 2023, Russell was granted parole. His release date was on July 11th, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parole Review Information |url=https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/reviewDetail.action?sid=05138971&tdcj=00760259&fullName=RUSSELL%2CSTEVEN+L |website=Texas Department of Criminal Justice |access-date=9 February 2023}}</ref>
+== In media ==
-===Film===
 A film about his life and crimes was produced in 2009, named ''[[I Love You Phillip Morris]]'', starring [[Jim Carrey]] as Russell<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Carrey Loves Phillip Morris |website=JustPressPlay.net |url=http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/movie-news/1481-jim-carrey-loves-phillip-morris.html}}{{Dead link|date=November 2022}}</ref> and [[Ewan McGregor]] as his boyfriend Phillip Morris.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ewan McGregor Cast In I Love You Phillip Morris |author=Rodney |date=2007-12-18 |website=The Movie Blog |url=http://www.themovieblog.com/2007/12/ewan-mcgregor-cast-in-i-love-you-phillip-morris |access-date=2022-11-16}}</ref>
-===Internet and print media===
 Since the movie went into production and Russell's story became more popular, several articles appeared in print and online uncovering lesser known details of his exploits. ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' magazine interviewed both Russell and Morris for its feature, "The Great Escapee",<ref name="Esquire"/> while ''[[The Guardian]]'' published "I Love You, Phillip Morris: A Conman's Story".<ref name="Guardian"/>
-==Sources==
-* {{Cite book |last=McVicker |first=Steve |title=I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks |date=June 25, 2003 |publisher=Miramax Books |isbn=0-7868-6903-8 }}
-* {{Cite news
- |first       = James
- |last        = McWilliams
- |title       = The Master Manipulator
- |url         = http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=1394
- |publisher   = The Texas Observer
- |date        = July 4, 2003
- |access-date  = 2006-09-19
- |url-status     = dead
- |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20061002015218/http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=1394
- |archive-date = October 2, 2006
-}}
+In 2011, his crimes were featured on the television series ''[[I Almost Got Away with It]]'', in the episode "Got A Boyfriend to Support". He was also the subject of "On The Run", a 2005 episode of [[The Discovery Channel]] series ''King of Cons''.
-==References==
+== See also ==
 {{Portal|Texas|Biography}}
-{{Reflist}}
+* [[List of people who escaped multiple times from prison]]
+== References ==
+{{refs}}
+== External links ==
+* {{ cite book |last=McVicker |first=Steve |title=I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks |date=June 25, 2003 |publisher=Miramax Books |isbn=0-7868-6903-8 }}
+* {{ cite news | first = James | last = McWilliams | title = The Master Manipulator | url = http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=1394 | publisher = The Texas Observer | date = July 4, 2003 | access-date = 2006-09-19 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061002015218/http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=1394 | archive-date = October 2, 2006 }}
+*{{cite news |last1=McVicker |first1=Steve |title=To Hollywood And Back  |url=https://www.fwweekly.com/2011/03/16/to-hollywood-and-back/ <!-- |access-date=17 April 2023 --> |work=[[Fort Worth Weekly]] |date=16 March 2011}}
 {{Authority control}}
+{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Steven Jay}}
 [[Category:1957 births]]
 [[Category:20th-century American criminals]]
+[[Category:20th-century American LGBTQ people]]
+[[Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people]]
 [[Category:American adoptees]]
 [[Category:American confidence tricksters]]
 [[Category:American deputy sheriffs]]
 [[Category:American escapees]]
+[[Category:American police officers convicted of crimes]]
 [[Category:Impostors]]
-[[Category:Gay men]]
+[[Category:American gay men]]
 [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
-[[Category:LGBT people from North Carolina]]
+[[Category:LGBTQ people from North Carolina]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
 [[Category:People from Elizabeth City, North Carolina]]

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