SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA FLOCK ABUSE DATABASE | CASE 002

Anna Marie Altobello: Georgia Sheriff’s Office Secretary Accused of Using Flock Data to Stalk People She Knew

Eight alleged license-plate data violations. Two people she knew personally. A stalking investigation that began the day after her reported resignation. The Echols County case raises questions about who can access police surveillance data—and how agencies detect misuse.

How a sheriff’s office database became the focus of a stalking investigation

Flock Safety’s automated license-plate reader technology helps law-enforcement agencies locate vehicles captured by networked cameras. It is not intended to be a personal lookup service. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, former Echols County Sheriff’s Office secretary Anna Altobello allegedly used her agency’s Flock account repeatedly to search license-plate information for two people she knew personally.

On December 18, 2025, Sheriff Randy Courson asked the GBI to investigate information suggesting that the office’s account had been accessed for non-law-enforcement reasons. Investigators subsequently announced eleven charges, including stalking and stalking involving family violence. These are allegations, not findings of guilt.

The timeline: resignation, referral and arrest

1. December 17, 2025: A previously published Shields of Shame review of Altobello’s POST records reports that she left the sheriff’s office as “Resigned in Lieu of Termination.” This detail should be checked against the linked original record.
2. December 18, 2025: Sheriff Courson requested GBI assistance after learning of suspected personal Flock searches.
3. January 5, 2026: WALB reported Altobello’s arrest and booking at the Lowndes County Jail at approximately 2:20 p.m.
4. January 7, 2026: GBI publicly announced eight misuse counts, two stalking-related counts, and an oath-of-office count.
5. January 8, 2026: Shields of Shame’s earlier review reported a POST investigation opening on this date; updated status remains to be confirmed.

Secretary or certified deputy? Why her POST record matters

The GBI described Altobello as a sheriff’s office secretary. An earlier Shields of Shame examination of her POST record identified her position as deputy sheriff, with a Basic Law Enforcement certification marked suspended under a POST sanction. Job duties, certification status, and access permissions are different questions. The linked record is essential for checking the administrative history. An administrative sanction does not establish criminal guilt.

What investigators say the Flock searches involved

The GBI identified two people known personally to Altobello as the subjects of the alleged tag-information searches. The public announcement does not identify the individuals or provide the complete query log, reasons entered, timestamps, or account-permission history. Eight counts should not automatically be interpreted as eight total searches without reviewing the charging documents and logs.

WALB reported that the sheriff provided investigators the names of two suspected victims. Its reporting also described the eight license-plate-data charges as misdemeanors of a high and aggravated nature and the oath-of-office charge as a felony. The precise statutory counts should be checked against filed warrants or an indictment.

What Sheriff Courson said about Flock safeguards

WCTV reported that Echols County had two Flock cameras at the time. Courson described the technology as useful when used correctly and said the office was working on additional policies to prevent improper access. The important follow-up is whether those policies were actually adopted, how access is reviewed, and whether a supervisor can independently audit every search.

Flock’s chief communications officer also told WCTV that the platform produces an audit trail. That creates a testable records question: what did the logs show, who reviewed them, and when?

Eleven announced charges

Original records and supporting documents

Readers can open the provided case file and source images in separate tabs. The supplied PDF has not yet been independently text-verified for this revision; its contents should not be assumed beyond what is separately sourced.

Independent reporting and primary sources

Records we still need

• Full Flock search audit logs, usernames, search purposes and relevant timestamps
• Account-access authorizations and termination or revocation records
• Internal complaints, investigation files and resignation paperwork
• Updated POST case disposition and certification status
• Arrest warrants, charging instruments, court docket and any disposition
• Revised sheriff’s office Flock policy, training and audit schedule

Frequently asked questions

Was Altobello a deputy or secretary?

GBI called her a secretary; an earlier POST-record review identified a deputy sheriff position. The distinction between job title, certification, and day-to-day duties requires original personnel records.

Were two people allegedly targeted?

Yes. The GBI said searches involved two people she knew personally. Their identities are not needed to understand the public accountability issue.

Were additional charges filed?

GBI anticipated additional charges in January 2026, but no subsequent charges have been independently verified for this page.

Has she been convicted?

No conviction or final disposition has been independently verified in the sources reviewed. Altobello is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.