BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Public Corruption Unit arrested a BSO deputy on fraud charges, authorities confirmed Friday.
Deputy Fredtajah Pinkney, 34, was arrested on two counts of uttering a forged instrument, according to investigators.
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Detectives said on at least two occasions, Pinkney falsified pay stubs in order to secure or attempt to secure a residential lease on an apartment.
Authorities said the investigation began in July when Public Corruption detectives received a tip regarding Pinkney’s activities.
After further investigation, detectives learned that in July 2021, Pinkney claimed she worked at a Broward County school and created forged paystubs from the school in order to fill out a lease application. An official at the school verified to detectives that Pinkney never worked there, according to BSO.
In August, investigators uncovered that Pinkney again used the forged paystubs purporting to be from the school when she applied for a lease at a Coral Springs apartment community in May 2022. She claimed that the school was a secondary job to her job as a deputy, authorities said.
“Once BSO’s Public Corruption detectives received this information, they immediately commenced an investigation,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a press release. “Any time a BSO employee is accused of a crime it tarnishes the reputation of this agency and the broader law enforcement community. I’ve made it clear that when employees are suspected of stepping outside the law, they will be thoroughly investigated and, when appropriate, face arrest. We the police must have the moral courage to police ourselves.”
According to BSO spokesman Carey Codd, Pinkney, who has worked for BSO since 2001, was booked into the Broward Main Jail and has been suspended without pay.