Minn. DNR officer fired following drug charges

The Associated Press
March 2, 2009 at 5:42PM

BIGFORK, Minn. - A 22-year officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been fired after he was charged this week with drug possession.

Forty-seven-year-old Brian Patrick Buria of Bigfork is charged with five counts of illegally possessing drugs, including Valium. Authorities say a search of his home turned up steroids, marijuana and oxycodone.

Ken Soring is the regional enforcement officer with the DNR in Grand Rapids. He says Buria had been suspended since August pending a separate investigation. He says the drug charges and previous investigation led to his dismissal.

Buria told the Duluth News Tribune he's innocent. He says all his medications were obtained through legal prescriptions for a medical condition he declined to specify.

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Information from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com

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