CBS4 Exclusive: Broward Sheriff's Deputy Suspended Without Pay
MIAMI (CBS4) - A Broward Sheriff's Deputy has been suspended without pay and is at the center of an internal affairs investigation. Court documents obtained by CBS 4 News show BSO has been investigating the deputy -- Michael Hennessey -- for more than 6 months.
According to BSO, Hennessey works out of BSO's Pompano Beach district and has worked for the agency since December 2008.
A search warrant reveals that BSO began looking into Hennessey back in January after a woman -- identified in the warrant as his ex-girlfriend -- alleged that Hennessey "…has been known to have sex on duty, date active prostitutes/escorts and allow the use of narcotics in his presence."
The warrant says a proactive operation was put in place. One night in February, the search warrant says Hennessey was sent on a call to deal with a confidential informant posing as an escort. The warrant says Hennessey asked "if the CI was into other women and that he and (his girlfriend) liked to 'party.'" The warrant says Hennessey told the woman that his girlfriend "could provide the cocaine" and that Hennessey "attempted to passionately kiss the CI."
During a shift at work in May, the search warrant says Hennessey was told that a woman named Victoria Soltau had a warrant out for her arrest. The search warrant says Hennessey told his supervisor that "Soltau was his ex-girlfriend and (he) had not seen or spoken to her in a while."
But the search warrant says Hennessey was seen via covert surveillance recordings meeting with Soltau the next day. The warrant says "Deputy Hennessey allowed her to drive away from the location, without taking any enforcement action."
The search warrant we obtained reveals that deputies searched Hennessey's phone. The warrant says "the phone used and owned by Deputy Hennessey has been used to speak about the use of narcotics, prostitution and has also been used to facilitate meetings with a proven truthful and reliable confidential informant."
The search warrant also shows that a couple of weeks ago an undercover officer and a confidential informant tried to give Hennessey cocaine. Hennessey did not take it but the warrant says he agreed to set up a meeting where they could give the cocaine to his girlfriend.
After that encounter, the warrant says "the operation was terminated and Deputy Hennessey was relieved of duty pending further investigation."
Hennessey declined to answer questions on camera but told CBS 4's Carey Codd that this is a difficult time for him and he cannot comment on an ongoing internal affairs investigation.
A BSO spokesperson also declined to comment.
Hennessey's law enforcement certification showed that he has a clean record.
