DALLAS — A Dallas County sheriff's deputy is being sued after he, according to the lawsuit, livestreamed a traffic stop on TikTok and revealed personal information about the person who was stopped.
Torry Osby, a Tarrant County resident, filed a lawsuit against deputy Francisco Castillo over an incident that happened on March 2, 2021.
The lawsuit stated that Castillo was livestreaming to over a hundred people under the TikTok username "CycoCisco" when he conducted a traffic stop on Osby. According to the suit, the deputy had over 13,000 followers in August 2021.
The lawsuit stated Castillo pulled Osby over for speeding but that Osby claimed he had been using cruise control at the time and was going under the speed limit. Osby was ultimately given a verbal warning instead of a citation.
During the stop, the lawsuit stated that Castillo showed Osby's driver's license to the livestream viewers and revealed identifying information such as Osby's address and license number.
According to the lawsuit, Osby found out his information was revealed after one of the livestream viewers contacted him and alerted him of what happened. The lawsuit stated that Osby wasn't made aware that the stop was being livestreamed.
The lawsuit contained a screenshot that appeared to show Castillo holding Osby's driver's license, with the information being shown to viewers.
The lawsuit alleges that Castillo violated Osby's right to privacy and that the Dallas County deputy only performed the traffic stop "in an attempt to gain more 'likes' and followers for his TikTok account."
According to the lawsuit, Osby is seeking monetary compensation for the alleged violations of Texas privacy laws, as well as damages.
"Mr. Osby continues to suffer from mental and emotional anguish as a result of Defendant Castillo's unlawful conduct... Mr. Osby was terrified that his identity would be stolen or that his home would be broken into since his address was provided..." the lawsuit said.
After the incident, the lawsuit stated that Osby filed a complaint with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office, which led to an internal affairs investigation.
According to the lawsuit, investigators found Castillo violated the department's social media policy and that he was suspended as a result.
In a statement to WFAA, the sheriff's office said Castillo received a two-day suspension without pay.
"Deputy Castillo remains in our employ [sic] and has not had any other internal affairs investigations. Given that this matter has results in litigation, no further comments will be made," the sheriff's office said in an updated statement to WFAA on Thursday, March 9.
Osby is requesting a jury trial for his lawsuit, the documents stated.
