Broward sheriff's deputy arrested years after being acquitted in another case

Albury Burrows, 47, suspended without pay

BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A Broward Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Monday, years after he was acquitted of other charges.

Albury Burrows, 47, faces numerous charges, including racketeering, using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, owning or renting a place for the purpose of trafficking drugs, tampering with evidence, giving false information to a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence.

BSO spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion said Burrows, who works in the Port Everglades district, was on duty Monday night when he was arrested.

She said detectives were "conducting a narcotics investigation into a drug trafficking organization when they came across information implicating" the deputy. 

Concepcion said evidence that was collected over a period of several months indicated that Burrows was aiding the drug trafficking organization. 

According to an arrest warrant, the organization was importing and distributing large amounts of cocaine and heroin, among other illicit drugs, throughout Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. 

The warrant stated that Burrows advised the head of the organization, Jeffrey Baisden, about law enforcement tactics so he could avoid detection and prosecution. 

According to the Sun Sentinel, Burrows was acquitted in 2011 of stealing $1,220 during a marijuana grow house bust.

Prior to his acquittal, detectives accused Burrows of stealing the money in December 2009, when deputies raided the grow house and found $2,452 in cash in the pants pocket of the apartment's tenant.

The money was counted three times by two deputies, authorities said. 

Authorities said Burrows instructed another deputy to leave the money in the apartment and sent his team members to lunch.

All deputies, including Burrows, were later searched, as were their vehicles, but the missing cash was never found, authorities said. 

Burrows faced up to five years in prison if he had been convicted of grand theft.

Burrows is being held at the Broward County Main Jail. He has been suspended without pay. 

"Everyone who wears our uniform swore to serve and protect the residents of Broward County, not abuse their power for a self-serving purpose," Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said in a statement. "I promised to instill a culture of efficiency and transparency.  

"Although disappointing, this arrest is yet another example of how the professionals in our agency will follow leads wherever they take them, even if that means arresting a fellow deputy who has done wrong. I demand our deputies give their best to our community, and the community wants and expects to receive the best from us."

Concepcion said Burrows has been employed by BSO since Nov. 1999. 
 

 


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.