A North Carolina sheriff’s deputy accused of using police databases to warn wanted people about active felony warrants has been arrested and fired. Prosecutors are reviewing cases involving his work to determine whether any should be dismissed.
Anthony Stephan Jose Garcia, 29, was arrested November 5 at the John H. Baker Jr.
Public Safety Center in Raleigh, according to WRAL. He had worked for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office since August 2020.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told ABC11 that her staff had identified fewer than two dozen active cases for preliminary review. She said it was too early to determine whether Garcia’s situation would require dismissals.
Warrant Alleges Database Access Was Used to Warn Wanted People
The November 5 arrest warrant in case 26CR446878-910 alleges that Garcia accessed law enforcement databases through government computers to warn wanted people about active felony warrants. Its obstruction-of-justice count describes the alleged conduct as occurring in “secrecy and malice.”
The warrant also charges unauthorized government-computer access under subsection (b) of North Carolina’s computer-access law. That subsection makes unauthorized access for purposes other than those covered by the statute’s fraud provisions a Class H felony.
Court Register Shows a Separate Fraud-Access Warrant Was Recalled
A separate November 5 warrant, filed in case 26CR446874-910, lists computer access to defraud under subsection (a)(1), along with obstruction of justice. Its charging narrative also describes database access to warn wanted people about felony warrants.
The recalled warrant’s case register records that warrant as recalled on November 5. The warrant in case 26CR446878-910 was recorded as served that day.
Both case summaries remained listed as pending in the November 9 records, although the warrant in 26CR446874-910 had been recalled. The served case’s register also records a $30,000 secured bond posted through a professional surety on November 5. Garcia is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors Review Garcia’s Cases as Sheriff Examines Safeguards
Freeman explained that prosecutors have sometimes had to dismiss cases when an officer needed as a witness could no longer be called to testify. She said those decisions can arise even when prosecutors believe the accused person should face the charges.
Her office’s review of Garcia’s cases was still preliminary when she spoke with ABC11. His attorney appeared in court on his behalf November 6.
Sheriff Willie Rowe said his office began investigating after learning of the alleged misuse of government resources. According to WRAL, Rowe said the department had database safeguards and audits in place and would conduct a full internal review and make adjustments where necessary.