Florida detective falsified sex crime records, threatened victim with deportation: BSO
A veteran detective from the Broward Sheriff’s Office was arrested and suspended without pay on Tuesday after investigators say he falsified information to close out sex crime cases without a thorough investigation and, in one case, threatened a victim with deportation.
Demetrious Campbell, 48, who has been with BSO for almost 21 years, faces nine counts of official misconduct and one count of extortion, the agency said in a news release. The detective remained at Broward County’s Main Jail as of Wednesday night on a $34,000 bond after a judge ordered him to surrender his passport and any firearms he may have, prison records show. According to court records, he will also have to wear an electronic monitoring device once he is released from jail and is prohibited from contacting the victims and their family members.
“Sex offenses are such heinous crimes to recover from because of the emotional and sometimes physical scars endured by victims that last for many years,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement. “Failure to fully investigate such serious crimes is reprehensible and downright disgraceful.”
Matt Cowart, president of the International Union of Police Associations Local 6020, said the organization is aware of the charges.
“As with anyone accused of a crime, Campbell will have the opportunity to defend himself as the case progresses through the judicial system,” Cowart told the Miami Herald.
Campbell’s attorney information wasn’t immediately available.
What were the red flags?
The investigation started when a woman “recently” called BSO’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) to check on the status of her sexual battery case. One of Campbell’s supervisors, a sergeant, asked him about the case, and the detective said that the victim was uncooperative, refused to have an examination done to collect evidence, and didn’t want police to investigate further.
But the victim’s statements contradicted Campbell’s, according to BSO investigators, who say she adamantly told the sergeant that she was cooperative and consented to an examination.
Growing suspicious, the sergeant reopened the sexual battery investigation, reviewed other cases probed by Campbell, and alerted BSO’s Public Corruption Unit (PCU).
What did investigators find?
According to BSO, here’s what detectives discovered:
▪ There are “discrepancies” in Campbell’s supplemental reports when compared to the evidence collected and information documented in the cases.
▪ From October 2021 to March 2023, Campbell was assigned approximately 99 sex crime and abuse cases, and 41 of those cases were classified as “unfounded,” which means all leads were exhausted, evidence was thoroughly reviewed, and the investigator determined no crime occurred. The investigation into the 41 cases is ongoing.
▪ Nine victims have given sworn statements, and one of the victims said that Campbell told her not to use her case to get a U-visa and threatened to have her deported. A U-visa is a non-immigrant status reserved for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.
“The public can rest assured all unfounded SVU cases investigated by Campbell will be reopened and thoroughly reviewed,” Sheriff Tony said. “Victims of any crime have a right to have their cases fully investigated and their violators arrested.”
This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 8:40 PM.
