Deputy arrested after 100 searches of estranged wife in camera database
Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says the new audit tool revealed the misuse, but questions remain about whether state law supports a criminal case.
By Harper Laurent ·
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri announced Thursday that his office has arrested another deputy for misusing the Flock camera system.
Deputy Ronald Scott was taken into custody early Thursday morning. Gualtieri stated at a press conference that Scott allegedly used the database to track his estranged wife while they were separated pending divorce. The sheriff said Scott searched for his wife and her boyfriend more than 100 times, beginning on Valentine’s Day of 2026.
Gualtieri maintained that the technology itself is not at fault. He argued that Scott used the system to determine where the couple had been and to identify their vehicles. "Scott made these queries to learn the locations that his wife and her boyfriend had traveled to or to identify their vehicles and obtain other private information," Gualtieri said.
The sheriff credited a new, comprehensive auditing tool released by Flock with uncovering the misconduct. He expressed confidence that all previous instances of misuse have been identified, despite a prior audit prompted by a TCPalm inquiry that led to the arrest of former deputy Karl Gwynne. Gwynne allegedly searched the system 300 times for a love interest.
Legal experts and prosecutors face a hurdle in these cases. Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bruce Bartlett declined to prosecute Gwynne in a filing dated Oct. 29, citing gaps in current Florida statutory provisions. Bartlett said his office would ask the legislature to correct the situation in the next session.
Gualtieri, however, believes the statute is sufficient for Scott’s case. He acknowledged disagreements over interpreting the legal elements but said he is comfortable working through them. St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway told the city council this morning that one of his former officers may also face charges for similar ALPR misuse.
Pinellas County Commission recently declined to vote on removing ALPRs from county roadways, opting instead to wait for state legislation. Flock has spent over $2 million lobbying for the technology, and Gualtieri has traveled nationally to advocate for its use.
