A former Harris County Sheriff's Office deputy faces up to life in prison after being charged with aggravated sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl he allegedly contacted through a dating app.

Nicholas Burbridge, 34, was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 4, on the first-degree felony charge, according to ABC13, which reviewed court records in the case. HCSO confirmed Burbridge was fired Thursday, March 19, two days after the alleged assault. He had worked for the department since 2020.

Court records allege Burbridge knew the victim was a minor, communicated with her through a dating app, picked her up and took her to his home in Tomball on Tuesday, March 17. The girl was days away from her 14th birthday. Records also state he offered to buy her edibles.

The victim's mother, whose identity was withheld due to the nature of the allegations, told ABC13 she was unable to reach her daughter for hours that day.

"I'm furious. You're supposed to help us protect our kids," the mother told ABC13 on Tuesday, Aug. 4, after learning the accused was a law enforcement officer.

Nearly five months between assault and arrest

HCSO fired Burbridge two days after the alleged March 17 assault, but the arrest did not come until Aug. 4. The department has not publicly explained the roughly 140-day gap between the alleged crime and the criminal charge.

Under Texas Penal Code §22.021, aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 is a first-degree felony carrying five to 99 years or life in prison. A conviction requires lifetime sex offender registration, and a judge cannot grant straight probation.

Burbridge also faces a separate charge of soliciting prostitution connected to a human trafficking investigation. No details about which agency is leading that probe or whether it is related to the sexual assault case have been made public.

Court appearance cleared 'for safety reasons'

At Burbridge's first court appearance Wednesday, Aug. 5, the courtroom was cleared "for safety reasons," the hearing officer said. A bond hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 6. If released on bond, conditions would include GPS monitoring, no contact with children and no unsupervised internet access.

In 2023, Burbridge was named HCSO "Teammate of the Week" for assisting a citizen who had a seizure.

Harris County Sheriff's Office is the largest sheriff's office in Texas, and its jurisdiction covers Clear Lake-area communities including Friendswood, Webster, Seabrook and Nassau Bay.

How to report child exploitation

Anyone who suspects online child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), available 24/7. The DHS Know2Protect Tipline is also available at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669).