Heath Franklin
The Dalton Police Department arrested Heath Shields Franklin, 44, on Thursday on a charge of unlawful surveillance after learning that he was following women in Walmart on Shugart Road and taking pictures underneath their clothes.
Franklin had been released from prison less than 24 hours before his arrest after completing his sentence for multiple counts of sexual battery and unlawful surveillance for touching women and taking “upskirt” photos while working at a Dalton convenience store in 2012.
On Thursday at approximately 4 p.m., the Dalton Police Department was contacted by state probation officers who were supervising Franklin. After Franklin failed to check in as expected on Thursday morning, state probation officers used tracking data from his ankle monitor to track him to the Walmart.
After contacting Franklin, they learned that he had bought a new cell phone at the store. He agreed to let them check his phone and they found a number of photos of women’s buttocks and also pictures of at least four women taken from angles that allowed the camera to view underneath the legs of their shorts or skirts.
Probation officers took Franklin back to their office where he was interviewed by a Dalton detective. He was arrested and charged with one count of unlawful surveillance.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from the store and working to determine how many women may have been photographed inappropriately by Franklin.
Anyone who believes they may have been photographed or had contact with him is asked to call Detective Aaron Simpson at 706 278-9085, dial 9 and enter extension 253.