Fargo Police Chief Defends Jailing Tennessee Woman For Months

Authorities say some details of the case have been misreported.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 5:01pm

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Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski is defending the investigation that led to a Tennessee woman, Angela Lipps, being jailed for months. Lipps was arrested at her home in Tennessee on July 14th and says she had never been to North Dakota before being transferred there in October. She was identified as a bank fraud suspect through facial recognition software, but Zibolski disputes some reports about her release, saying she was offered a jacket and money for a hotel.

Why it matters

This case has raised concerns about the use of facial recognition technology and the potential for wrongful arrests, as well as questions about the treatment of suspects during the criminal justice process.

The details

Angela Lipps was arrested at her home in Tennessee on July 14th and says when she was transferred to North Dakota in October, it was the first time she had been in the state. She was identified through facial recognition software as a bank fraud suspect. Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski is defending the investigation, saying some details of the case have been misreported, including Lipps' claim that she was only given summer clothes when released on Christmas Eve. Zibolski says Lipps was offered a jacket and money for a hotel.

  • Lipps was arrested at her home in Tennessee on July 14th.
  • Lipps was transferred to North Dakota in October.
  • Lipps was released on Christmas Eve.

The players

David Zibolski

The Fargo Police Chief who is defending the investigation that led to Lipps' arrest and jailing.

Angela Lipps

A Tennessee woman who was arrested at her home and jailed for months in North Dakota, despite claiming she had never been to the state before.

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What they’re saying

“The criminal justice system is not perfect but some of the facts of the case have been misreported.”

— David Zibolski, Fargo Police Chief

What’s next

The Fargo Police Department and the criminal justice system will likely face continued scrutiny and calls for reform in the wake of this case.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater oversight and accountability in the use of facial recognition technology and the criminal justice process, to ensure that innocent people are not wrongfully arrested and detained.