After internal investigation, Harnett sheriff's office fires detective

The Harnett County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday announced that it has fired Detective Paul Shane Durazo after an internal investigation.

Durazo was fired from his position on June 23, officials said, and District Attorney Vernon Stewart was informed about the results of the investigation.

Harnett authorities said they concluded that they would ask the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to look into Durazo's tenure with the department to see if any criminal activity occurred.

An SBI spokesman said agents would likely conduct a meeting with Harnett officials on Thursday or Friday afternoon.

No other information about the internal investigation of Durazo has been released. He was originally hired by the sheriff's office in March 2007. He was promoted to detective in November 2007 before he resigned in March 2011.

Durazo returned to the sheriff's office as a deputy in February 2015 and was promoted to detective again in December 2015.