Woman accused of impersonating inmate and threatening Georgia judge

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. - A Stockbridge woman is behind bars after investigators say she posed as a Georgia prison inmate to send death threats to a Douglas County Superior Court judge.

What we know:

Shontelle Mann, 38, has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including identity fraud, computer forgery, and intimidation or injury of a court officer, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The investigation began in June 2024, when the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office asked the GBI to look into threatening messages aimed at a sitting judge. At first, the messages appeared to be coming from inside the Georgia Department of Corrections. But GBI agents eventually determined the threats were actually sent by Mann — who was never incarcerated — and that she had faked her identity as a prison inmate to make the threats more convincing.

What's next:

Mann is currently being held in the Douglas County Jail. The GBI says the investigation is still active and encourages anyone with information to come forward.

The Georgia Department of Corrections, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and Douglas County District Attorney’s Office all assisted in the investigation. Once the case is fully investigated, it will be handed over to prosecutors.