The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says facial recognition was only one factor in the investigation, not the sole basis for the arrest.
A North Carolina man is seeking accountability after spending nearly three months behind bars following what he says was a wrongful arrest caused in part by artificial intelligence facial recognition technology.
According to WSOC-TV, Charlotte resident Jalil Richardson was arrested and extradited to Florida after investigators with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office linked him to a stolen vehicle case using facial recognition software that reportedly identified him with 85% accuracy.
The investigation began in April 2025 when a Jacksonville man discovered that a vehicle he had purchased was stolen. Authorities obtained surveillance footage and information connected to a fake Georgia identification card used during the sale. Investigators later identified Richardson as a suspect and obtained an arrest warrant.
Richardson was arrested at his home in Charlotte and spent approximately one month in the Mecklenburg County Jail before being extradited to Florida, where he remained incarcerated for more than 50 days.
Speaking with WSOC-TV, Richardson described the experience as devastating.
“It’s very traumatizing and unbelievable. I lost everything,” he said.
According to his attorney, records showed Richardson was at work roughly 400 miles away when the vehicle transaction took place. Richardson has maintained that he had never been to Florida, and prosecutors ultimately dropped the charges last week, about a year after the investigation began.
Richardson said the ordeal cost him his job, his home and custody of two of his children. He also believes racial profiling contributed to the mistaken identification.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office defended its investigative process, telling WSOC-TV that facial recognition technology was only one factor used to establish probable cause and not the sole basis for Richardson’s arrest.
Now trying to rebuild his life, Richardson says he faces another challenge: his mugshot remains online despite the charges being dismissed, making it difficult to find employment.
“I’m not sure how I’m going to bounce back from this one,” Richardson told the station. “I’m trying to take it one day at a time.”
Richardson is seeking resources and assistance as he works to recover from the consequences of the case.
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