A Florida man, Robert Dillon, is suing several law enforcement agencies after their use of artificial intelligence technology led to his wrongful arrest in 2024. Dillon was accused of trying to lure a child at a fast-food restaurant in Jacksonville Beach, more than 300 miles from his home.

Wrongful Arrest and Aftermath

An investigator submitted surveillance photos of the suspect to a facial recognition program, which revealed a 93% match on facial features to Dillon. However, beyond that and a restaurant employee who picked his photo out of a lineup, no evidence tied him to the crime. In fact, Dillon has never been to Jacksonville Beach.

Weeks after the arrest, the state attorney’s office dropped the case after Dillon and a defense attorney proved his innocence. It took nearly a year to wipe the arrest from his record. Dillon has stated that the experience has changed him forever and that he no longer trusts law enforcement.

Lawsuit and ACLU Involvement

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has taken on Dillon’s case and filed a wrongful arrest lawsuit on his behalf. The lawsuit is filed against several law enforcement agencies, including the Jacksonville Beach Police Department, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. The ACLU alleges that police relied too heavily on facial recognition and a ‘tainted’ photo lineup, and that an investigator failed to mention key evidence to the judge.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for Dillon and policy changes related to the use of facial recognition technology. The ACLU has identified similar cases across the United States, including one in Orlando, and argues that the misuse of facial recognition technology is a ‘tremendously dangerous’ trend.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.