Get notified by email when this case is updated.
Written by: E. George
Published March 22, 2024 @ 8:30 PM ET
SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. – A Spalding County Sheriff’s deputy school resource officer at Spalding High School was terminated and arrested following allegations of harassment and inappropriate conduct with a previous student. The internal affairs investigation determined that Joshua Phillips violated policy and his code of ethics.
On November 13, a Spalding County Sheriff’s sergeant was informed of harassing communications involving Phillips, a prior student, and her parents. The victims explained that Phillips sent them harassing text messages and engaged in disturbing phone calls.
The father said his wife and daughter received multiple texts from “spoof numbers” asking to speak with his daughter. They showed the sergeant text messages from several phone numbers claiming to be Phillips and asking if they knew “Peaches.”
Some texts included vulgar comments regarding the alleged sexual relationship between Phillips and the student.
The mother said she spoke with Phillips’ wife the night he was placed on administrative leave regarding the sexual relationship. She received additional texts from “spoof numbers,” claiming to be “Jayce Raye,” asking about the relationship as well.
One message claimed to be “CJ” and asked if her “daughter is the one f*cking the cop.” She responded to both with methods to submit the information to law enforcement.
The father expressed his upset and believed Phillips to be the culprit behind all the calls and texts. He said the messages sent to his daughter’s phone contained private information only Phillips and the family would know.
The sergeant wondered how Phillips learned the parents’ personal cell phone numbers and suspected he used the Infinite Campus database. This service provides students and their family members with access to grades and attendance records. It also features administrative access to students’ personal information, including social security numbers, medical histories, dates of birth, address histories, and phone numbers.
Authorities contacted the Spalding County Board of Education’s IT (Information Technology) department to determine when Phillips logged in to the database. Records revealed that Phillips accessed Infinite Campus on October 25, 2023, and again on November 1, 2023.
Phillips was informed that he could no longer act in a law enforcement capacity when he was placed on administrative leave and subsequently fired. Officials determined he committed a crime when he logged in to the database as a civilian.
Phillips was charged with computer invasion of privacy on November 16, 2023. This case is pending in court.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On Monday November 13, 2023, I Sergent Strock was informed of harassing communications regarding Joshua Phillips, [VICTIM #1], [VICTIM #2] and [VICTIM #3].
Joshua Phillips(W/M /1988) was placed on administrative leave due to the allegations of inappropriate conduct with a previous student, [VICTIM #3]. The internal affairs investigation found he did violate policy and his code of ethics. Phillips was fired from his position as a Spalding County Sheriff’s Deputy school resource officer at Spalding High School on October 23, 2023.
[VICTIM #2] (W/M /1981), [VICTIM #1] (W/F/1984) and [VICTIM #3] (W/F /2005) came to the Sheriff’s Office to speak with Law Enforcement regarding the harassing texts and phone calls they are receiving claiming to be Joshua Phillips.
[VICTIM #2] explained his wife, [VICTIM #1], his daughter, [VICTIM #3] and him have received multiple texts from multiple spoof numbers claiming to be Phillips and asking to speak with [VICTIM #3].
[VICTIM #2] and [VICTIM #1] showed multiple texts from multiple numbers claiming to be Joshua Phillips, individuals asking if they knew “Peaches” and vulgar text messages about the sexual relationship between [VICTIM #3] and Joshua.
[VICTIM #1] stated she had a conversation with Joshua’s wife, [REDACTED], the night Joshua was placed on administrative leave inquiring about the details of Joshua and [VICTIM #3]s relationship. [VICTIM #1] stated she also received additional text messages from spoof numbers claiming to be “Jayce Raye”. [VICTIM #1] stated, an individual named Jayce Raye texted her cellphone inquiring about the relationship with [VICTIM #3] and Joshua and what she should do. “Jayce Raye” claimed she obtained [VICTIM #1]’s cellphone number from [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] is a neighbor of Joshua and [REDACTED]. [VICTIM #1] received another text from a spoof number claiming to be “CJ” and asked [VICTIM #1] “is your daughter the one fu*king the cop” [VICTIM #1] stated she did respond back to “Jayce Raye” and “CJ” and explained ways to bring the information to Law Enforcement and that Joshua was handled.
[VICTIM #2] stated, he is very upset and believes the person behind all the text and spoof numbers is Joshua Phillips. [VICTIM #2] stated the messages sent to [VICTIM #3]s phone are details about [VICTIM #3]’s personal life that only the family and Joshua Phillips would know. [VICTIM #2] stated he has now contacted his daughter [VICTIM #3], wife [VICTIM #1] and he does not want Joshua reaching out to any more of his family.
The family showed numerous text threads from numerous spoof numbers. I asked the family to send the contents of the text thread to my county issued cell phone number.
It was unknown how the sender would have obtained the personal cell phone numbers of [VICTIM #1] and [VICTIM #2]. I asked Captain Clark if he would contact the IT department at the Spalding County Board of Education to determine when Joshua Phillips logged into Infinite Campus.
Infinite Campus is a database used by students and family to monitor their students attendance and grade. Infinite Campus also has an administrative side accessible to Law Enforcement in order to obtain personal information about the students attending the school. Infinite Campus keeps record of the students personal information such as social security numbers, dates of birth, medical history,address history, previous phone numbers, emergency contact information such as their name, date of birth, address, phone numbers etc.
To login to Infinite Campus, the user is assigned a specific login and password only associated with the specific user. Joshua Phillips was assigned a specific name and password to login to Infinite Campus. When Joshua Phillips was placed on administrative lead he was informed that he would no longer act in a law enforcement capacity until the investigation was complete. Joshua Phillips was also aware that when he was fired from the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office he was no longer to act in a law enforcement capacity.
I received a print out from the IT Department that showed Joshua Phillips accessed Infinite Campus on October 25, 2023 at approximately 09:40:23 and logged in again on November 1, 2023 at 15:57:51.
Joshua Phillips did commit the offense of Computer Trespass when he logged into Infinite Campus as a civilian. Joshua Phillips did not have the right to access Infinite campus in a law enforcement capacity.
Warrants were taken for Joshua Phillips for two counts of Computer Trespass on November 15, 2023 with Judge Parks. Warrant Number 23-EW-005165
[End of Narrative]
Get notified by email when this case is updated.