Former Ally Sues Fulton Sheriff for Unpaid Contract

“Unfortunately, Sheriff Labat and Fulton County nevertheless refused to pay Talitrix for his work and equipment. Talitrix therefore initiates this action for breach of contract to obtain the funds that it is clearly owed,” the filing states.

The sheriff's office declined to comment on the pending litigation.

The lawsuit represents a significant deterioration in relations between Talitrix and Labat, once a strong supporter of the company. Founded by Forsyth resident Justin Hawkins and Republican state Rep. Todd Jones, Talitrix and associated entities donated approximately $30,000 to Labat's campaign following his 2020 election victory.

That relationship, however, has become a point of contention for several Fulton County commissioners who have questioned the Alpharetta-based company's relationship with the sheriff's office.

After granting Labat's office $2.1 million in April 2023 to install a similar Talitrix biometric and GPS tracking system at the Rice Street jail, commissioners later canceled the funds when they discovered that Talitrix had seriously underdelivered the contract. At the time, Fulton Commission Chairman Robb Pitts called the contract one of the worst he had ever seen.

About six months after the funds were allocated, only about 15 bracelets were in use. Talitrix blamed the slow pace of installation on the slow pace of cleaning and repairs at the prison.

In April, Talitrix also lost a multimillion-dollar contract it previously held with the county to provide ankle monitoring services through its A&A All County Monitoring subsidiary. A Talitrix spokesperson said the decision amounted to “bid rigging” and accused unnamed members of the Fulton County Commission of “political vendetta.”