GoKawiilAgents sought Stingray warrants to track producer linked to Don Lemon's ICE protest coverage
Court filings show law enforcement obtained warrants in Minnesota and Pennsylvania to use cell-site simulators, or Stingrays, to locate Jerome Richardson, a recent Temple University graduate charged alongside 38 others over a January protest at a St. Paul church tied to ICE. Agents also sought similar surveillance tools against journalist Georgia Fort and a Senate candidate, and pursued pen register orders tied to Fort and a number linked to Don Lemon, though it's unclear if those were approved or used.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The case highlights how powerful phone-tracking tools, once reserved for major criminal investigations, can be deployed in cases touching on journalists covering protests, raising concerns about chilling effects on press freedom. Because court records don't confirm whether the surveillance was actually carried out, the episode shows how little transparency surrounds Stingray use even as its legal reach expands into politically charged contexts.
- Warrants for cell-site simulators were approved to find a producer linked to Don Lemon's protest coverage.
- Similar surveillance requests targeted a journalist and a Minnesota Senate candidate, with approval status unclear.
- The case raises questions about surveillance of journalists covering protests tied to ICE operations.
Source: wired.com — Dhruv Mehrotra, 2026-10-12
Published there as: “Feds Got Warrants to Use Fake Cell Towers to Hunt Down Don Lemon’s Producer”
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