Former Colquitt County Deputy Arrested for Alleged Misuse of License Plate Reader System

Tallahassee Thomasville, FL, September 18, 2026 — A former deputy with the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested and charged following an investigation into alleged misuse of law enforcement technology.

Bentley Hughes, a former deputy, was taken into custody and faces multiple charges. These include two counts of misuse of a license plate reader system and two counts of violation of oath of office.

The arrest stems from an investigation concerning the alleged improper use of Flock cameras. According to the summary, the investigation focused on the alleged misuse of these cameras for purposes outside of official law enforcement duties.

The specific details regarding the timeline of the alleged misuse, the exact nature of the non-law enforcement purposes, and when the investigation began were not provided in the summary.

Similarly, the summary did not specify the outcome of any internal or external reviews conducted by the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Office beyond the arrest of Hughes. Information regarding the status of Hughes’ employment at the time of his arrest was also not provided.

The charges of misuse of a license plate reader system and violation of oath of office indicate potential breaches of protocol and public trust, as outlined by the state’s legal framework for law enforcement conduct. The investigation leading to the charges was initiated due to concerns about how the Flock camera system, which is designed to aid in law enforcement investigations by capturing license plate data, was allegedly being utilized.

Further details regarding the investigation, including any findings or subsequent actions beyond the arrest and charges, were not made available in the provided summary.

Story summarized from the original created by Kaylee Harter on www.wtxl.com, see more information here.