NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A New Port Richey police officer is off the job after an internal investigation confirmed allegations of misconduct involving a female minor.
Former Corporal Bobby Lubrido was fired in August after a teenager reported he allegedly fondled her and took her phone to look at a naked photo.
The incident occurred while the officer was transporting the teenager to the Juvenile Assessment Center, according to the report obtained by 10 Tampa Bay. The story was so unbelievable, according to New Port Richey Chief of Police Kim Bogart, that the city's top cop initially thought it had to be made up.
"It was unfathomable that what she had alleged had occurred with someone that had 15 years of experience as an officer with an unblemished career," Bogart said.
According to an internal investigation by the New Port Richey Police Department, in July, Lubrido was transporting a 17-year-old runaway to the Juvenile Assessment Center when he started to look through her phone where he eventually found a video of her twerking.
According to the audio recordings 10 Tampa Bay obtained through a public records request, the teenager told the detective, "He found a video of me twerking. He watched three videos of me twerking."
The girl alleged he then opened her Snapchat app and found a photo of her topless. She said while looking at the photo, he hit something on the road. According to her testimony, she first thought it was a curb but in her interview she said, "He called somebody and he's like, hey I just hit a deer."
Dash camera video from the alleged incident showed the police car hit a deer before pulling over and the officer getting out to look at the front of the vehicle.
The teenager alleged Lubrido hit the deer while looking at the picture of her breasts and later, once parked, according to the investigative documents, the girl said: "Lubrido grabbed her buttocks while he was placing the cuffs on her and lifted her shirt up and grabbed her breast."
During the internal investigation, the New Port Richey Police Department reviewed vehicle video, cell phone records, time stamps and other evidence. Most of what the girl said could be corroborated, including the body-worn camera being turned off during the time of the alleged fondling.
"I had enough to know inappropriate behavior occurred. She said, he said, but enough to make me believe her," Bogart said.
In August, after five years with the department and 10 before that as a police officer elsewhere, Lubrido was fired.
Although New Port Richey Police found there to be enough evidence to terminate Lubrido, Bogart said there wasn't enough to criminally charge him.
"I had a preponderance of evidence but I didn't have probable cause," Bogart said.
According to the report, Lubrido denied looking at inappropriate videos and photos of the teen. He also denied fondling the girl. According to the documents, the detective on the case told him his testimony was inconsistent with the video evidence, he replied, "yeah."
Bogart said the department will fully investigate any allegation against one of their officers.
"It was important that she reported it and I’m glad she did," Bogart said.
10 Tampa Bay reached Lubrido, and he didn't wish to comment.