A Cherokee County sheriff's deputy is facing criminal charges after investigators say she dipped into the department's license-plate reader system for reasons that had nothing to do with police work.
The deputy, identified as Cynthia Jodesty, was arrested Friday, booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and later released on bond. County records show she is accused of improperly using the sheriff's office license-plate reader database and has been removed from the uniform patrol division.
According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, Jodesty faces a misdemeanor count tied to the prohibited use of captured license-plate data and a felony count of violating her oath of office. Investigators allege she pulled up plate-reader records for another sheriff's office employee. Booking information lists her bond at $3,812, according to Atlanta News First.
What the law says
Georgia law tightly restricts how agencies can use license-plate reader data. Captured information such as the plate number, photo, GPS coordinates, date and time is supposed to be used only for law-enforcement purposes and kept under specific retention rules. Knowingly requesting or using those records for reasons outside an investigation is prohibited by O.C.G.A. § 35-1-22, according to Justia.
That statute describes misuse as "a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature," while O.C.G.A. § 16-10-1, which covers willful violations of a public officer's oath, classifies those violations as a felony punishable by prison, as outlined on Justia. Read the code for the full language of both statutes.
Seen elsewhere in Georgia
State agents have been circling similar allegations in other corners of Georgia. Last November, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation charged the Braselton police chief after a probe found alleged misuse of tag-reader data, according to a Georgia Bureau of Investigation release.
And in May, a Coffee County deputy was indicted on counts that included "prohibited use of captured license plate data" after state investigators said he tracked a woman using Flock and other law-enforcement systems, as reported by WALB. The parallel cases show why state-level reviews are often opened when local agencies face possible misuse, advocates and officials say.
What happens next
For now, prosecutors will review the investigation and decide whether to pursue formal charges beyond the counts already announced. Court dates have not yet been posted publicly. If the case moves forward, any penalties will track the statutes cited above.
Local concerns
License-plate readers, which quietly log where and when vehicles travel, remain a lightning rod for privacy advocates. Allegations of improper searches often trigger internal audits and policy reviews. Cherokee County residents and privacy-minded groups are likely to watch closely to see whether the sheriff's office tightens access, auditing and training around its plate-reader systems as this case unfolds.
