Broward County deputy arrested, charged with grand theft, committing felony with a weapon

On August 26, the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) Public Corruption Unit (PCU) detectives reported on the arrest of one of their own – a veteran BSO deputy.  The arrest went down early Friday morning when BSO Deputy Michael Spencer was arrested shortly before 1 a.m. and charged with grand theft.  The deputy was taken into custody while on duty working his shift at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport.

The 49-year-old Deputy Spencer is looking at one count each of grand theft.  Because Spencer had his firearm with him during the theft, he was also charged with committing a third-degree felony with a weapon.

Following up on a tip, BSO PCU detectives conducted an undercover “integrity check” operation at the airport.

On Wednesday evening, August 24, an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) who assisted with the operation posed as a traveler who found an unattended brown purse in the airport. The undercover ATF agent turned the handbag that contained $1,664 in cash into Deputy Spencer while he was on duty, in uniform and sitting in his marked BSO vehicle. The purse also contained multiple decoy items to give the appearance a traveler had lost it.

BSO detectives said that Deputy Spencer made no attempts throughout the rest of his shift, which ended at 5 a.m., Thursday, August 25, to turn in the purse and its contents. Instead, they said, he kept the cash and discarded the purse and its contents.

Investigators said Deputy Spencer reported to work Thursday evening but still did not turn in the money. As a result, he was taken into custody Friday at approximately 12:50 a.m.

The investigation revealed that Spencer spent about $200 of the money. Detectives recovered the remaining $1,476 of the investigative funds inside Deputy Spencer’s assigned BSO vehicle.

“Public safety is an honorable profession and requires people to serve with the highest ethical standards. We will continue to police ourselves, hold employees accountable for their actions and arrest them when they engage in illegal activity,” Sheriff Gregory Tony said.

Deputy Spencer has been with the Broward Sheriff’s Office since December 2001. Following Friday’s arrest, he was suspended without pay.

For more on Deputy Spencer’s arrest and charges, see the video accompanying this article.

(Source and Deputy Michael Spencer mugshot, Broward Sheriff’s Office)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter