Digital Forensics Dispatch

Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested in Bizarre Cell Phone Harassment Case

July 14, 2020

The Daytona Beach News-Journal recently reported on the strange stalking and harassment case of a 67 year old man named Thomas Pappas. Pappas, the victim of a recent alleged battery case at the hands of a neighbor, started receiving threatening phone calls from a restricted number back in late February.

Pappas reported the calls to the Flagler County Sheriff’s office who in turn launched an investigation. Little did either party know that the subpoena response from AT&T would reveal that the calls were coming from a number registered to one of Flagler County’s own deputies, Dedorius Varnes.

Varnes cell phone was forensically analyzed and call logs showed 40 calls made to Pappas. It was noted that there were likely more calls but the call log was limited due to the configuration of the phone. Varnes’ arrest report notes that even though he obviously knew who was making the calls, he still responded to Pappas’ home when they were reported, adding he thought it was funny. While they have yet to find a solid link between the alleged battery and the threatening calls, one of the investigators involved was quoted as saying “How can you go and laugh about that? It’s just despicable to us.”

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