Catoosa County detention officer exposes sensitive inmate information

CATOOSA COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office has been investigating an inmate data breach and is now considering disciplinary action for those responsible.

The sheriff’s office says that on February 6, a detention officer left a printed housing sheet, with information such as social security numbers and birth dates, in a female cell block.

On February 10, inmates started telling detention officers that the sheet was left in the cell block. They said an inmate had it.

The officers searched the cell block but could not find the sheet.

Authorities began a formal investigation on February 12 and interviewed several inmates. They all pointed to inmate Sarah Howard as the one having the sheet.

Sarah Howard / Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office

Howard then told officers she gave the sheet to a released inmate for “safe keeping.” She told authorities she would return the sheet upon her release. However, officers spoke with the released inmate, who did not corroborate the inmate’s story.

On February 13, the jail began allowing inmates to call and freeze their credit as a precautionary measure. But those inmates said Howard still had the sheet.

After interviewing Howard again, the sheriff’s office said Howard admitted to having the housing sheet on her. Catoosa County authorities said she had the sheet inside her. She then retrieved it and returned it to the detention staff.

The sheriff’s office says they are disciplining the inmate that left had sheet. They are considering disciplinary action for the other inmates involved.

Authorities have not identified the detention officer responsible for misplacing the housing sheet. But they said he was “reprimanded” without explanation.