MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More allegations of sexual misconduct against former Memphis City Manager Robert Lipscomb.
Crime Stoppers has received numerous calls from alleged victims of Lipscomb while the city tries to patch up the problems created by the scandal.
As of Tuesday, at least nine accusers have contacted Memphis Police Department claiming they had sexual relations with Lipscomb before they turned 18-years-old.
Mayor A C Wharton’s right hand man, Jack Sammons, said the phone calls keep pouring in too.
“I am a dad. A dad of a young boy. This unnerves me more than I can describe,” said Sammons.
He said there are likely more alleged victims out there too, and he’s talked to some of them.
“Are any of these victims residents of [HCD] or MHA entities? To my knowledge no,” he said.
The investigation started about a week and a half ago when the first accuser contacted Police.
Detectives flew out to Seattle, Washington to meet him a week later.
“The minute the victim was available to be interview,” said Sammons.
According to court documents WREG obtained, in 2003, the man said Lipscomb approached him after a track meet when he was 16-years-old and forced him to perform a sex act.
The victim told Police it didn’t end there, and he tried going to law enforcement in 2010.
“There was a complaint made in 2010 by a homeless person, and the police made multiple attempts [to find him],” said Sammons.
WREG called Larry Godwin who was Police Director at the time to ask him if that was the case, if the accuser was nowhere to be found, but we never heard back.
Director Toney Armstrong said while he’s not heading up this case, he assured us his best detectives were on it, and they won’t have bias while they investigate a man who’s worked for the city for more than two decades.
“We’ve investigated our own. I have had to investigate the misconduct of Police Officers, so this is no different from that,” he said.
Lipscomb’s attorney told WREG he had no comment until the city hands over the names of the new accusers.
Also on Tuesday, two interim directors have been named to replace Lipscomb in two key positions.
Mayor Wharton appointed Debbie Singleton as Deputy Dirrector with Housing and Community Development, where she’s worked for 20 years.
Singleton also worked with Lipscomb on many of the current big city projects still unfinished.
“The mission is exactly the same. Every single project, every single mission and every single department is a team approach, so I feel lucky my team is with me,” Singleton told WREG.
She said this investigation would not impact her work.
She’s helped Lipscomb on projects like Sears Crosstown and AutoZone Park.
Mayor Wharton has also recommended that the City’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Maura Black Sullivan be interim Director of the Memphis Housing Authority.
Wharton said Sullivan has a long history of public service and strong ties to the community.
The MHA Board is expected to make its decision Wednesday morning.
