SBI arrests former Brunswick County Sheriff’s lieutenant in Flock camera investigation
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A former Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant has been arrested on 18 charges stemming from the alleged misuse of government computer systems and automated license plate readers.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced Wednesday that it arrested Daniel Heith Little, 47, after a Brunswick County grand jury indicted him.
Little faces six felony counts of accessing government computers, six misdemeanor counts of misuse of automated license plate readers and six counts of willful failure to discharge duties, according to the SBI.
Little was released on an unsecured bond and is scheduled to appear in Brunswick County court for his first appearance.
The charges follow an investigation into Little’s alleged misuse of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office’s Flock Safety camera system.
Court documents previously obtained allege Little accessed and used the Flock Automated License Plate Reader System through a county-issued cellphone to obtain information associated with a North Carolina license plate without a legitimate law enforcement purpose.
The alleged activity occurred between Feb. 9 and Aug. 5 while Little was employed by the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, according to the indictment.
The Sheriff’s Office previously announced that an employee resigned after an Internal Affairs investigation into the alleged misuse of the Flock system. The agency also referred the matter to the SBI for an independent review.
Following Wednesday’s announcement, the Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a true bill of indictment had been handed down in the case involving Little.
“We will continue to fully cooperate with the SBI and allow the justice system to do its job,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
The agency called the situation disappointing and said it had taken the matter seriously from the beginning.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that law enforcement technology is used appropriately and in accordance with our policies,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “Those policies are clear, and we will continue to enforce them and address any misuse appropriately.”
The Sheriff’s Office said automated license plate readers remain an important investigative tool for the agency.
“ALPR remains an important law enforcement and investigative tool, and we remain committed to ensuring it is used responsibly and only for legitimate law enforcement purposes,” the agency said.
Brunswick County Sheriff Brian Chism previously said information discovered during a review of Flock system activity raised concerns about how an employee was using the technology.
“One employee’s alleged misuse of a system should not be confused with the authorized use of that system by the men and women of the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office who use the investigative tools appropriately every single day,” Chism said at the time.
The SBI said no additional information about the case is available at this time.
An indictment is a formal accusation of a crime and is not a determination of guilt.
