Gwinnett County Man Arrested in Jury Duty Scam Investigation

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County man has been arrested after investigators say he impersonated a law enforcement officer and scammed a resident out of money through a jury duty fraud scheme.

According to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Garrett Thompson was arrested on March 5, 2026, following an investigation conducted by the agency’s Jail Intelligence and Warrant Units.

The investigation began after a citizen reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be “Officer Shepherd.” The caller told the victim there was an issue with jury duty and instructed him to either pay $1,350 or turn himself in to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.

Believing the call was legitimate, the victim sent the money to the phone number provided by the caller.

Investigators later determined the phone number used in the transaction belonged to Thompson. Authorities said Thompson confirmed he had received the funds.

Deputies with the Sheriff’s Office Warrant Unit located Thompson and took him into custody without incident.

Officials are reminding residents that law enforcement agencies will never request payment over the phone to resolve jury duty issues or other legal matters.

Anyone who receives suspicious calls is encouraged to report them to local law enforcement. Tips can be submitted to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office by calling 770-619-6655 or visiting GwinnettCountySheriff.org.