Ex-cop arrested after state probe into license plate database
Michael Bernard Dante Canty (Newton County Sheriff's Office)
COVINGTON, Ga. - Former Covington police officer Michael Bernard Dante Canty faces felony charges after state law enforcement officers arrested him Wednesday evening in Newton County.
Covington police officer arrest
What we know:
Special agents with the Georgia State Patrol arrested 43-year-old Michael Bernard Dante Canty at 9:57 p.m. Wednesday.
Authorities booked the former officer into jail shortly after 10 p.m.
Records show Canty faces four felony counts of violation of oath by a public officer.
He is also charged with four misdemeanor counts of illegal use of law enforcement captured license plate data.
The alleged offenses occurred on four separate dates: Aug. 25, 2024, Jan. 1, 2025, Jan. 4 and Jan. 29, according to Newton County booking records.
Total required bond for the charges was set at $25,000, with posted bond listed at $27,700 through Call & Go Bail Bonding.
Georgia State Patrol investigation
What we don't know:
Authorities have not disclosed what prompted the investigation into Canty's use of the license plate reader system.
It remains unclear if additional charges will be filed or what specific data Canty allegedly accessed.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Georgia State Patrol, who detailed the arrest details, as well as Newton County booking records.