SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA FLOCK ABUSE DATABASE | CASE 015

Cynthia Noemy Jodesty: Cherokee County Deputy Fired and Arrested Over Flock Searches of Coworker’s License Plate

A police database built to help investigate crime became the subject of its own criminal investigation. On June 12, 2026, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputy Cynthia Noemy Jodesty was fired and arrested after an internal audit allegedly revealed unauthorized searches of another sheriff’s office employee’s license plate in the Flock automated license plate reader system.

The alleged search: another employee’s license plate

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said its Real-Time Intelligence Division conducted a self-initiated review of automated license plate reader activity to assess compliance with state law and agency policy. That review allegedly identified Jodesty entering a fellow sheriff’s office employee’s license plate into the Flock database for a purpose unrelated to an official law-enforcement investigation.

Atlanta News First later reported an additional detail from Jodesty’s arrest affidavit: she allegedly used the database multiple times over about a month to locate a vehicle without a legal or investigative purpose. This matters because it describes repeated access, not merely a single accidental entry. However, reporting did not establish the precise search count, full date range, reasons entered into the software, whether an alert was created or what data was exported. Those questions require the original audit trail.

June 12, 2026: arrest, termination and bond

Authorities arrested Jodesty on Friday, June 12. She was booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and released that night on a reported $3,812 bond. The sheriff’s office terminated her employment in its Uniform Patrol Division. News outlets identified two charges: one felony count of violation of oath of office and one misdemeanor count under Georgia’s license plate reader data restrictions. Arrest and termination are documented actions; guilt remains a question for the courts.

The first of four Cherokee County Flock arrests

Jodesty’s arrest was the first publicly reported case in a larger Cherokee County review. On June 22, the agency arrested and fired Lieutenant Christopher K. Bryant and Sergeant Michael Creeden after finding additional alleged non-law-enforcement searches. By August, a fourth employee, Jerry Shellhouse, had also been arrested in a separate Flock misuse investigation. These are separate allegations involving different employees, not proof of a joint plan or shared targets.

As the investigation widened, Sheriff Frank Reynolds publicly emphasized that employees entrusted with sensitive information must use it only for legitimate police work. The agency described the Real-Time Intelligence Division’s audit as self-initiated. The timing and details of each employee’s searches should be established from individual records rather than inferred from the broader scandal.

Why a coworker’s plate raises difficult questions

An ALPR search can show where a vehicle was observed, when it passed a camera and potentially patterns of travel across a network. Searching a coworker’s plate without a legitimate reason may expose sensitive movement information even if the operator never physically follows the person. The publicly available reporting does not establish Jodesty’s personal motive or whether the coworker was aware of the alleged activity. Those details should not be guessed.

Key questions include whether the database required a case number, whether users could enter free-text justifications, how frequently supervisors reviewed query logs, whether search results were shared and whether anyone outside the agency had access to the same vehicle history. Audit records are the best way to distinguish documented facts from speculation.

The Georgia law behind the misdemeanor

Georgia’s O.C.G.A. § 35-1-22 regulates the use of automated license plate recognition data by law enforcement. The statute limits access and use to authorized law-enforcement purposes and includes penalties for prohibited use or retention. An oath-of-office charge is a separate allegation that a public officer knowingly violated official obligations. Whether the evidence satisfies either offense is for the judicial process to determine.

Examine the supplied certification image

The image above is a supplied certification exhibit, not an independently retrieved current POST report. Any certification status shown should be understood as a dated snapshot. A complete current POST profile, including employment history, disciplinary action and investigation status, should be obtained before asserting decertification or a final sanction.

Timeline

1. Before June 2026: Sheriff’s office Real-Time Intelligence Division begins a self-initiated ALPR compliance audit.
2. Approximately one month: Jodesty allegedly searches for a vehicle multiple times, according to later affidavit reporting; exact dates not verified here.
3. June 12, 2026: Jodesty fired, arrested and released on $3,812 bond.
4. June 22, 2026: Lt. Bryant and Sgt. Creeden arrested and terminated after further findings.
5. August 2026: Jerry Shellhouse reported as fourth Cherokee employee arrested in a Flock misuse case.
6. October 2026: Final criminal and POST dispositions remain unverified in this review.

Documents and images

Verified reporting and related coverage

WSB-TV — initial arrest reporting ↗

Atlanta News First — June 13 report ↗

Atlanta News First — affidavit and three Cherokee cases ↗

Atlanta Journal-Constitution — Cherokee audit ↗

Related SOS investigation — Christopher K. Bryant (publication status may vary) ↗

Records Shields of Shame should request

• Jodesty’s complete Flock user audit log, query timestamps, search terms, case numbers and justifications
• Original arrest affidavit, warrants, charging documents and court docket
• Internal Affairs interviews, findings, termination notice and relevant policies
• Real-Time Intelligence Division audit criteria and reviewer notes
• Hotlist, alert, export and data-sharing activity connected with the alleged vehicle searches
• Current Georgia POST employment, certification and investigative records
• Access rosters and Flock audit reports for the wider Cherokee County investigation

Frequently asked questions

Why was Cynthia Jodesty arrested?

Authorities alleged she searched another sheriff’s office employee’s license plate through the ALPR system without a legitimate law-enforcement purpose.

Was it just one search?

Arrest-affidavit reporting describes multiple searches over approximately one month. The exact count has not been independently verified from logs.

Was Jodesty fired?

Yes. The sheriff’s office confirmed she was terminated June 12, 2026.

Was she convicted or decertified?

No final criminal disposition or permanent POST revocation was independently verified for this article. Jodesty is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Updated October 12, 2026. Criminal charges are allegations, not findings of guilt.