Life in Prison for Elderly Scammer

Hernando, MS - A man convicted of targeting the elderly for scams was sentenced to life in prison in Desoto County.

41 year old Manuel Cooper will spend the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of scamming an 81 year old Desoto County woman out of $2,000 by overcharging her for gutter cleaning.

Assistant District Attorney Smith Murphey spearheaded the prosecution.

"We're not going to tolerate people who abuse and take advantage of the elderly," says Murphey. "Period."

The life sentence stems from Mississippi's Habitual Offender Law. Cooper has already served time for a two other crimes against the elderly.

"For a robbery of an 84 year old man in Arkansas, a robbery that involved tying him up and leaving him there," says Murphey. "He swindled a 94 year old woman out of $400."

Cooper was also convicted of aggravated assault against a family member and now, swindling the 81 year old in Desoto County. Southaven Police Chief Tom Long says Cooper used intimidation tactics.

"There was this strange man in her home who she did not know who was telling her, you're going to give me my $2,000," says Long. "So of course she's going to give the money."

On Tuesday, when Cooper learned his sentence, his sister, Bessie Lou Phillips, was in the courtroom, and she didn't like it.

"She jumped up and began screaming at everybody," says Long.

After being escorted from the court house police say Phillips waited in her car in the parking lot waiting for the elderly victim to leave the courthouse. Police say she then rammed the victim's car several times before speeding away.

"Her anger was centered toward this woman at 81 who she felt was the reason her brother was sent to prison, which is ridiculous," says Long. "Her brother is the reason her brother is in prison."

Phillips is being held on $150,000 bond on aggravated assault and obstruction of justice charges.

The 81 year old woman was in the car when Phillips rammed it, but she is expected to be fine.