A former Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy faces a first-degree felony charge after court records allege he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at his Tomball home in March.
Nicholas Burbridge, 34, was arrested Tuesday and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, according to ABC13, which first reported the case based on Harris County court records. The charge carries a punishment range of five to 99 years or life in prison under Texas law, with no possibility of jury-recommended probation and mandatory lifetime sex offender registration.
Court documents allege Burbridge communicated with the girl through a dating app, picked her up and took her to his home in Tomball on March 17, 2026. The girl was days away from her 14th birthday. Records state Burbridge knew she was a minor, engaged in sexual conduct with her and offered to buy her edibles.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office confirmed to ABC13 that Burbridge was fired March 19, two days after the alleged assault. He had worked for the department since 2020.
The victim's mother, whose identity ABC13 withheld due to the nature of the allegations, described finding her daughter hours after losing contact with her.
"She didn't know where she was. I was so scared. It was hard to wake her up. She couldn't walk," the mother told ABC13.
The mother said learning the accused was a law enforcement officer made the situation more disturbing, adding that she worries there could be additional victims.
At Burbridge's first court appearance Tuesday, the courtroom was cleared "for safety reasons," according to the hearing officer. No statement from a defense attorney has been made public.
Burbridge was expected in court Wednesday, Aug. 5, for a bond hearing. If released, conditions would include GPS monitoring, no contact with children and no unsupervised internet access.
He also faces a separate charge of soliciting prostitution stemming from a human trafficking investigation. Details of that case, including whether it is connected to the March 17 incident, have not been made public.
In 2023, Burbridge was named HCSO "Teammate of the Week" for assisting a citizen who had a seizure. His arrest came roughly four and a half months after his termination.
Anyone with information related to the case can contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office or Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-8477.
