City of Atlanta probe finds felony false imprisonment at watershed department

City probe: Employees held hostage over missing wallet

In a major investigative development, Atlanta’s Interim Inspector General has determined that six Department of Watershed Management employees committed "abuse of position" and met the legal threshold for felony false imprisonment.

ATLANTA - Six Atlanta Department of Watershed Management employees, including several high-ranking officials, committed abuse and met the legal elements of felony false imprisonment after holding colleagues against their will, according to a new report from the city’s interim inspector general.

What we know:

The findings, released in November 2025 by Interim Inspector General LaDawn Jones Blackett, conclude that the group detained five coworkers for hours during a search for a missing wallet in April 2024.

The report identifies the employees involved as:

• Yolanda Broome, Watershed deputy commissioner of administration and procurement
• DeValory Donahue, Watershed manager II
• Sterling Graham, director of safety, security, and emergency management
• Mischa Roberson, senior investigator
• Rina Bradley, senior investigator
• Joe Fortson, senior investigator

According to the investigation, the incident began when Donahue, then a supervisor, reported her wallet was missing. Broome, who was a director at the time before her subsequent promotion, allegedly ordered an entire unit into a conference room.

What they're saying:

Whistleblowers claimed they were held for more than three hours while a uniformed police officer stood guard outside the door. One employee reported that when a staff member asked to use the restroom, the officer told them they were not allowed to leave the room.

"Based on the totality of the evidence, the OIG finds that Watershed Manager II DeValory Donahue, Watershed Director I (now deputy commissioner of administration and procurement) Yolanda Broome, Director of Safety Security and Emergency Management Sterling Graham, Senior Investigator Mischa Roberson, Senior Investigator Rina Bradley, and Senior Investigator Joe Fortson committed abuse generally and abuse of position," the report stated. "Their conduct also meets the elements of false imprisonment under O.C.G.A. 16-5-41."

Employees alleged they were forced to empty their pockets and search their personal belongings and workstations without consent. One whistleblower described being coerced into a "sham investigation," where they were forced to sign illegible documents and waive their rights to representation.

The OIG was provided with faded documents, including a statement of Garrity Rights—a protocol intended to protect public employees from self-incrimination during employer-ordered investigations.

What's next:

The OIG findings follow a March 2025 letter sent by senior inspector general staff to state and federal law enforcement agencies regarding the incident.

The City of Atlanta and the mayor’s office have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the findings or potential disciplinary actions.