A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) deputy was arrested last week on suspicion of driving under the influence with a young child in the Florida Keys, but this is not his first run-in with the law.
According to MCSO arrest records, Deputy Jesús Abdiel Rojas Burgos, 30, was driving a Nissan Kicks on Route 1 near Cujo Key when a fellow deputy observed him passing a cruiser at approximately 125 mph in a 45 mph zone. The deputy on duty initiated a traffic stop and immediately reported smelling alcohol. He observed a partially filled bottle of Bacardi rum in the passenger seat. When asked, Rojas-Burgos sarcastically replied, “In the car.” He also confirmed that the child was secured in a car seat and said he was on his way to take the child home.
He initially admitted that he had “had a few drinks a while ago,” but later denied drinking that night. Officers arrested him after failing multiple field sobriety tests.
A search of the vehicle revealed additional evidence, including a half-bottle of Bacardi Black Rum in the passenger seat, a “Beat Box” beverage container in the passenger door cupholder, and a shot glass containing a liquid matching the smell and appearance of rum in the center console. The deputy’s service weapon was also found in the driver’s side door console.
Rojas-Burgos underwent a breath test, which recorded a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.06 percent, below Florida’s legal limit of 0.08 percent. However, Florida law allows for a DUI charge even if a person’s BAC is below the limit if a person’s “normal abilities” are impaired. The child was released to the deputy’s girlfriend, who notified the Florida Department of Children and Families.
This is not his first arrest. In March 2024, Rojas-Burgos, then 28, was arrested on misdemeanor charges after an incident at a bar on Duval Street in Key West. Monroe County court records do not provide further details about the disposition of the case.
He was hired by the sheriff’s office in 2023, according to MCSO. Sheriff Rick Ramsey said in a news release: “When it comes to significant incidents in the Sheriff’s Office, I will be the first to hear them, both positive and negative.”
