FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff's Office arrested one of its own Tuesday on trafficking and grand theft charges.
Deputy Eduardo Mesa, 40, was taken into custody following an investigation that began after his involvement with a train accident that took the life of a pedestrian in January.
Mesa responded to an accident in Pompano Beach on Jan. 7 and took custody of the deceased victim's personal belongings, which included several prescription medicines.
Upon reading Mesa's report of the incident, a homicide detective noticed that hydrocodone and Klonopin were not among the medications listed among the belongings. The detective said that he had specifically remembered seeing a prescription bottle filled with hydrocodone at the crash scene.
A search warrant was issued for Mesa's patrol car where investigators found the prescription bottle containing hydrocodone with the train victim's name on the label, along with 26 Alprazolam pills.
Mesa, a 16-year veteran of the Broward Sheriff's Office, was charged with one count each of armed trafficking in hydrocodone, possession of Alprazolam, grand theft of a controlled substance, tampering with evidence and official misconduct/falsifying public or court records.
Sheriff Scott Israel called the arrest sad and disappointing.
Mesa appeared in court Wednesday and was ordered to be held on $75,000 bond. He was also required to surrender his passport and is not allowed to possess weapons or ammunition if he bonds out.
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