SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA FLOCK ABUSE DATABASE | CHEROKEE COUNTY

Michael Thomas Creeden: Cherokee Sheriff’s Sergeant Fired and Arrested After Flock Camera Database Audit

A Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office supervisor lost his job and was arrested on June 22, 2026, after an internal audit identified alleged non-law-enforcement use of an automated license plate reader database. Sergeant Michael Thomas “Mike” Creeden, 35, of Cartersville, was charged with felony violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor involving unlawful retention of license plate reader data. These are accusations, not a conviction.

An internal audit uncovers suspected misuse

The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Real-Time Intelligence Division conducted self-initiated reviews of access to its automated license plate reader (ALPR) system to assess compliance with policy and state law. Investigators reported that three authorized users had accessed the system for non-law-enforcement purposes. The June 22 announcement concerned Lt. Chris Bryant and Sgt. Mike Creeden; Deputy Cynthia Jodesty had been arrested June 12 in a separate instance identified by the review.

Creeden and Bryant were fired and booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. Local reporting placed their bonds at $3,812 each. The agency did not publicly disclose which license plates Creeden queried, the search dates, the number of database lookups or any private motive. Those facts cannot be inferred from the charges alone.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: June 23 reporting

A supervisor’s responsibilities — and the charges

Creeden was a sergeant, a supervisory rank. Authorities accused him of a felony violation of oath by public officer and a misdemeanor under Georgia’s restrictions on retaining ALPR data. Charging language matters: the public reports do not establish that Creeden stalked someone, sold information or targeted any particular individual. A charge is not a judicial finding, and the final disposition should be checked against court records.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Georgia POST records showed Creeden joined Cherokee County in 2013 and had not served another Georgia agency. His supplied certification image is reproduced below for readers to inspect the record directly.

Why the sheriff’s own audit matters

These cases did not originate from a single complaint described in the initial public announcement. The Sheriff’s Office said its own intelligence division found irregularities through an access audit. Such audits can preserve usernames, timestamps, search terms, stated reasons and results viewed, allowing supervisors to compare database activity against case assignments. The fact that a user was authorized to log in does not establish that each individual search was lawful.

Sheriff Frank Reynolds publicly emphasized professional conduct and public trust after the June arrests. The more important unanswered questions are what supervisors could see in the audit logs, how long irregular searches went undetected, and whether the agency preserved the full underlying reports.

A fourth Cherokee arrest — and policy changes

On August 19, 2026, Deputy Jerry Shellhouse was also fired and arrested after the Sheriff’s Office identified alleged non-law-enforcement ALPR use. This was a separate case; Shellhouse’s reported search period and allegations should not be attributed to Creeden. After the fourth arrest, the agency described additional safeguards, including audits at least twice yearly, tighter user permissions, mandatory certification and further training. These changes raise a legitimate accountability question: what monitoring existed before the 2026 audit?

WSB-TV: fourth Cherokee deputy charged and policy safeguards

Chronology of the Cherokee Flock cases

• 2013: Creeden begins service with Cherokee Sheriff’s Office, according to POST records cited by AJC.
• June 12, 2026: Deputy Cynthia Jodesty arrested in a separate ALPR misuse case.
• June 22, 2026: Sergeant Creeden and Lieutenant Chris Bryant fired and arrested following the agency audit.
• June 23, 2026: Regional outlets publish details of the felony and misdemeanor charges.
• August 19, 2026: Fourth employee, Jerry Shellhouse, fired and arrested; agency outlines new safeguards.

Shields of Shame evidence gallery

The following seven assets were supplied for this case. Photographs of ceremonies and professional service provide context; they do not prove or disprove the later allegations. The certification and news graphics should be read according to their own contents.

Public records that could answer the remaining questions

Request the complete ALPR audit for Creeden’s user account; timestamps, entered reasons, result views and exports; the Real-Time Intelligence Division review and related supervisor correspondence; the internal affairs file and termination notice; booking and charging documents; applicable Flock user permissions and policy revisions; and the criminal court docket showing any indictment, plea, dismissal or trial result. Where records are withheld, request the agency’s written statutory basis and segregable nonexempt portions.

Frequently asked questions

When was Michael Creeden arrested?

June 22, 2026, according to contemporary Cherokee County reporting.

What were the charges?

Felony violation of oath of office and a misdemeanor related to unlawfully retaining ALPR data.

Did the agency fire him?

Yes. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed his termination when announcing the arrest.

Whose vehicles did Creeden search?

The sources reviewed do not establish the identities or number of vehicles searched.

Was he convicted?

The sources reviewed establish arrest and charges, not a verified final conviction or other court disposition.

Independent reporting and background

Atlanta Journal-Constitution — two deputies arrested

CBS Atlanta — June 22 investigation

FOX 5 Atlanta — internal audit details

WSB-TV — August 2026 follow-up

Institute for Justice — national ALPR abuse database

Editorial note: Criminal allegations are not convictions. This case page distinguishes agency announcements, news reports, supplied images and unanswered questions. Last reviewed October 13, 2026.