Tennessee woman charged with identity theft after posting man's unredacted arrest warrant on Facebook

Emilee Berger faces identity theft charges after posting a man's unredacted arrest warrant, including his Social Security number, in a Tennessee Facebook group.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 5:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PEOPLE

Social Media Doxxing Leads to Felony Identity Theft Charges

A local Facebook group intended for community discussion became the center of a criminal investigation this week in Monroe County, Tennessee. On Wednesday, March 11, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) was alerted to a post on the page “Uncensored Voices of Monroe County Revamped.” The post, allegedly shared by Emilee “Emma” Berger, featured a full copy of an arrest warrant for Mitchell Cook. While the warrant itself is a matter of public record, the version posted online contained highly sensitive personal identifying information (PII) that is typically redacted to prevent fraud.

Sensitive Data Exposure Triggers Police Intervention

Sheriff Tommy Jones confirmed that the document shared by Berger included Cook’s full name, date of birth, driver’s license number, and Social Security number. Under Tennessee law, while the public has a right to view certain court records, the disclosure of specific identifiers like Social Security numbers is strictly prohibited to protect citizens from identity theft. Cook formally informed detectives that he had never authorized the publication of his private data. Berger reportedly admitted to detectives that she later posted a redacted version after other users pointed out the breach, but authorities determined the original unredacted post constituted a criminal offense.

Investigation Points to Internal Court System Leak

A significant portion of the ongoing investigation centers on how Berger obtained a copy of a document that had not yet been through the official redaction process. Detectives noticed a specific "scan line" on the digital copy Berger posted, which matched the marking applied only to documents processed through the Monroe County Clerk of Court’s electronic system. Monroe County Clerk Dewayna Martin clarified that this system is restricted to authorized users, including law enforcement, court personnel, and local attorneys.