OLE, OLE IN FREE! Still, no charges by St. Mary’s State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling against EMS director Thomas P. Raley, who was convicted of stealing drugs from ambulances in 2019 and rehired by St. Mary’s Commissioners as Junkie-In-Charge of EMS; Raley was lost and now he is found and in Hotel St. Mary’s

THE BOZO ST. MARY’S COMMISSIONERS HIRED HIM WITHOUT RANDOM DRUG TESTS.
Yes, kinda stupid stuff….

EMS DIRECTOR WAS LOST,
AND NOW HE HAS BEEN FOUND

LEONARDTOWN, MD – St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) arrested Thomas Patrick Raley, age 39, of Leonardtown, MD, on a warrant on Wednesday, September 11, 2024.

In July, the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department reports that it was alerted to suspected tampering incidents involving the security seal on a narcotics box in a local medic unit. Detectives from CID discovered fentanyl vials in the medic box had been compromised, leading to further investigation uncovering additional tampering incidents in multiple county medic units and EMS facilities. As the investigation progressed, Raley was identified as the sole suspect, leading to the filing of numerous criminal charges.

Raley was charged with 34 criminal counts, including one count each of theft scheme of $1500 to under $25,000, theft scheme of $100 to under $1500, and second-degree burglary; three counts of theft of $100 to less than $1500; four counts of theft less than $100; two counts rogue and vagabond; 21 counts of CDS: possession – not cannabis; and one count CDS: possession of controlled paraphernalia for purposes of illegally administering a controlled dangerous substance.
Raley is now in the Hotel St. Mary’s pending a hearing for bond.

 

OLE, OLE IN FREE! Still, no charges by St. Mary’s State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling against EMS director Thomas P. Raley, who was convicted of stealing drugs from ambulances in 2019 and rehired by St. Mary’s Commissioners as Junkie-In-Charge of EMS

 

Theft Of Drugs by Medical Personnel in Government EMS Revealed By Indictments In Florida, Convictions In Idaho And Colorado, Illinois, Missouri

BY KEN ROSSIGNOL

THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY

St. Mary’s County is not the only county around to experience narcotics theft by addicted employees, but it may be one of the few county governments that are stupid enough to rehire an addict who stole narcotics from the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad and put him in charge of the entire county EMS system. 

St. Mary’s County is now advertising for a new EMS director while charges have not yet been brought against Thomas P. Raley, who was identified by the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department for theft of narcotics from various county EMS vehicles. Other examples of county officials purloining narcotics or allegedly covering up the theft are included in this article from Florida, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, and Idaho.

 Emergency personnel are given immediate access to persons in need in car crashes, ailments, and sudden medical emergencies in homes and operate emergency vehicles – all of which require such persons to not be under the influence of narcotics, yet without drug testing of an admitted addict, the St. Mary’s County Commissioners hired Raley who previously admitted he was an addict to be in charge of the entire EMS system.

THOMAS RALEY NAMED AS LONE SUSPECT BY COPS  
 According to the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department press statement:
On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to suspected tampering with the security seal on a narcotics box in a local medic unit. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division found that fentanyl vials in the medic box had been compromised, leading to further investigations that uncovered additional tampering incidents in multiple county medic units and EMS facilities.

Thomas Patrick Raley, 39, Chief of Emergency Medical Services for St. Mary’s County Government, has been identified as the lone suspect. The investigation is continuing in coordination with the Office of the State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County. Questions regarding public health concerns should be directed to the Department of Emergency Services; representatives from the department will directly contact any individual whose care may have been impacted by this incident.

THERE ARE NO CHARGES YET, BUT ST. MARY’S COUNTY IS ADVERTISING FOR A REPLACEMENT

An examination of Maryland Court records on August 16, 2024, reveals that charges have yet to be placed against Thomas Patrick Raley by either the St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department or St. Mary’s State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling, either by way of Grand Jury indictments or the filing of Criminal Information. A call has been placed to Sterling and when she responds this article will be updated.

Comment from former St. Mary’s County Commissioner John O’Connor:
As County Commissioner Representing District 3 from 2014-2022, I was informed in 2021 that St Mary’s County was looking to hire Mr. Raley in the Department of Emergency Services. This was after he was presumably denied employment while awaiting to start at Charles County Department of Emergency Medical Services, allegedly due to his previous criminal actions at Leonardtown Rescue Squad, which led to a plea deal.

Based on publicly available documentation, Judiciary Case Search, and local news articles, it was no secret that Mr. Raley took a plea deal regarding the theft of Narcotics from the Leonardtown Rescue Squad.

While the commissioners typically do not participate in individual hiring decisions, I voiced my concerns about the hiring process and decisions made with this knowledge. Some of the Commissioners on the current board, such as Mike Hewitt, were aware of the circumstances surrounding this employee’s hiring back in 2021, and before they try to deny it I have the emails to back it up so tread carefully. It is apparent they must have amnesia.

I specifically cautioned against hiring someone with a history of narcotics abuse and theft into a role that would grant them direct access to narcotics, NCIC information in Dispatch and Communications Systems, rescue squads, the detention center, citizens’ homes, and secure county facilities. I questioned the lack of a proper background process for paramedics and EMTs.

I unequivocally stated that a repeat of the actions at the Leonardtown Rescue Squad incident was not a matter of if but when, and they were giving liablity a seat at the table. However, since the records were allegedly expunged, a plea deal was in place, and no actual “conviction” was on record; the then-director of emergency services decided to move forward without consulting the entire board of commissioners, other senior staff, or the county legal team about the hiring decision, pushing him through the process as fast as possible.

This problem could have been solved before it happened. Still, it would have taken an executive session, which needed to be called by the Commissioner President and three votes by the Commissioners. Unfortunately, that never happened, so the citizens are left with the current situation.

I hope the State’s Attorney considers all of the victims who were affected. I hope they weigh all the factors and that he is charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of any applicable law, bringing a sense of justice and reassurance to the community.

FROM KEYSWEEKLY:

ROMAN GASTESI INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED COVERUP IN COUNTY FENTANYL THEFT SCANDAL

Gastesi faces official misconduct charge for alleged coverup

A grand jury this week indicted retired county administrator Roman Gastesi, who was slated to return to the top county job next month, for official misconduct in connection with the ongoing investigation into the theft, loss, and attempted coverup of more than 600 missing vials of fentanyl, Dilaudid and other narcotics from the county’s Trauma Star medical helicopter service.

Gastesi’s is the fourth indictment connected to the investigation into Monroe County Fire Rescue, which oversees Trauma Star’s daily operations and its controlled substance protocols, or lack thereof.

The misconduct charge “stems from alleged actions that took place between Aug. 11 and Nov. 17, 2022, during which Mr. Gastesi is accused of knowingly and intentionally obstructing, delaying, or preventing the communication of information relating to the commission of a felony that directly affected the government entity he served,” states a report from the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office. “This charge is classified as a third-degree felony under Florida Statute 838.022(1)(c). If convicted, Mr. Gastesi could face up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and a fine of up to $5,000.”

Judge Mark Wilson has signed a document for Mr. Gastesi’s arrest and set bond at $25,000, the state attorney’s office said.

Former chief flight nurse Lynda Rusinowski, who admitted last year to the theft of narcotics due to an addiction, was the first indicted last week. Rusinowski’s indictment was quickly followed this week by those of Schwemmer and Thompson.  MORE

PARAMEDIC SUPERVISOR BOOSTED OVER 1900 VIALS OF FENTANYL

DENVER – 41-year-old Christopher Robert Pattinson of Commerce City, was sentenced to three years in prison for tampering with fentanyl intended for patient use according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.

According to the plea agreement, Pattinson was a Paramedic Field Lieutenant Supervisor at a Denver-area hospital.  For a period of four years, he stole approximately 1900 vials of fentanyl from the paramedic department, and in the last few months of his employment, tampered with fentanyl vials intended for patient use. He concealed his theft by altering the hospital’s narcotics logs and making false entries in the hospital’s records.  When the defendant tampered with the narcotics, he apparently removed fentanyl vials from a locked narcotics supply cabinet and replaced the drug with a clear liquid believed to be saline. The defendant then returned tampered fentanyl vials to the locked narcotics supply cabinet and placed tampered vials in narcotics kits to be used on ambulances to respond to emergencies.

“Trust is the cornerstone of a patient’s relationship with the medical community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David Olesky of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Field Division.  “Mr. Pattinson violated that trust, and as a result of his actions, the DEA, the FDA, and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office have held him accountable.”

“We won’t tolerate medical professionals who put patients at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan.  “Drug addiction is tragic, but it’s no excuse for harming patients – this conduct will send you to prison for a long time.”

“Health care professionals who tamper with patient medications not only harm patients but also put at risk the trust that U.S. consumers have in those who provide their medical care,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice health care professionals who tamper with patients’ medications.”

United States District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney sentenced the defendant on April 19, 2023.  After his period of incarceration, the defendant will also serve three years on supervised release.  The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution to the hospital.

KOOTENAI COUNTY OFFICIAL SENTENCED FOR DIVERTING OPIOIDS FROM EMS FOR HIS OWN USE

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho–Scott Higgins, 57, of Coeur d’Alene, was sentenced yesterday on charges for theft from a program receiving federal funds and acquiring controlled substances by fraud, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Both charges relate to a drug diversion scheme that Higgins carried out over multiple years while employed as the Division Chief of Logistics for the Kootenai County Emergency Medical Services System (KCEMSS).

According to court records, as the Division Chief of Logistics, Higgins was responsible for purchasing and managing controlled substances on behalf of KCEMSS. Between at least July 2020 and February 2023, Higgins engaged in a fraudulent scheme whereby he ordered on behalf of KCEMSS substantially more opioids than were required and kept the excess for personal use. The total value of the opioids that Higgins wrongfully acquired from this scheme was $13,428.24.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Higgins. Based in part on Higgins’ lack of criminal history, cooperation with the investigation, acceptance of responsibility, and proactive engagement in substance abuse treatment, Higgins was afforded a probationary sentence of 5 years. Should Higgins violate probation, he will be subject to re-sentencing and faces up to 14 years of imprisonment if sentenced consecutively on both counts. Judge Nye also ordered Higgins to pay restitution to KCEMSS.

“This case is a reminder of how the opioid crisis impacts our communities in many different ways,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “It demonstrates not only the need for strong enforcement but also the need for all of us to come together to raise awareness about the dangers of opioids as well as the hope that can be found through substance abuse treatment.”

“People like Mr. Higgins who work with controlled substances are placed in positions of special trust to safeguard the public’s health and well-being, and DEA takes any violation of that trust extremely seriously,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “We are gratified by the accountability the Court imposed on Mr. Higgins for breaking his obligations and we thank the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho for their partnership in this effort.”

Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Stealing, Diluting Ambulance Drugs

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former emergency medical technician at Mercy Medical Center pleaded guilty in federal court Sept. 17, 2020, to stealing fentanyl and hydromorphone from dozens of vials used by ambulances in Carthage and Mount Vernon, Missouri, and replacing the drugs with saline or water solution.

“A former paramedic abused his position of trust by stealing and diluting drugs that were meant to ease the pain of those he was responsible to aid in an emergency,” Garrison said. “He should rightly be held to a high standard and will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”

“The FDA oversees the U.S. drug supply to ensure that they are safe and effective, and those who knowingly tamper with medicines put patients’ health at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health and bring to justice health care professionals who take advantage of their unique position and compromise their patients’ health and comfort by tampering with needed drugs.”

James Poole, 37, of Webb City, Missouri, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to a federal information that charges him with one count of tampering with a consumer product.

On Jan. 23, 2020, paramedics with Mercy Medical Center in Carthage, Mo., noticed what appeared to be puncture marks on a fentanyl vial that was being used to administer the pain-killing medication to a patient. Paramedics then reported a second incident in which they drew fentanyl from a vial, into a syringe, and observed that there was not enough fluid in the vial to administer a dose to the patient.

The remaining narcotics in the ambulances and the office stock were examined by officials at Mercy Carthage EMS, who observed that the fentanyl and hydromorphone on the ambulances and in the office stock appeared to have visible signs of tampering. The Mount Vernon Mercy EMS facility supplies were also examined since the facility is a sister ambulance location to the Carthage facility, with the same paramedics working at both locations. Officials observed signs of tampering for one fentanyl vial that were similar to those observed at the Carthage facility.

On the same day, officials with Mercy Medical Center in Springfield, Mo., contacted the Federal Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations. Mercy Medical Center officials reported that 26 fentanyl and 43 hydromorphone vials appeared to have physical signs of tampering. Officials with Mercy Medical Center had the vials that were identified as being tampered with tested, and lab reports revealed that the vials had some of their original contents replaced with either saline or water solution.

Supervisors and other personnel were drug tested on the date the tampering was discovered, and Poole tested positive for nor fentanyl, an analog of fentanyl.

Poole admitted that he was an opioid addict and had been since he was injured in an ambulance accident in December 2018. Poole admitted that he tampered with and stole 50mcg fentanyl on an EMS call that he responded to approximately three weeks earlier, on Jan. 1, 2020, before the additional tampering was discovered and he was drug tested. Poole admitted he documented giving a patient with abdominal pain 100 mcg of fentanyl, but tampered with the dosage by only administered 50 mcg to the patient. Poole stole the syringe with the remaining narcotic and injected himself with the remaining fentanyl after his shift.

Under federal statutes, Poole is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Paramedic Supervisor Who Stole Narcotics Out of Ambulances, Replaced Them With Saline Solution, Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison

On August 21, 2018, Jason Laut, 41, a resident of O’Fallon, Illinois, and a former paramedic supervisor for MedStar Ambulance Inc., was sentenced to 111 months imprisonment (9 years and 3 months) for stealing and tampering with ambulance narcotic supplies, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today. A jury in East St. Louis, Illinois, previously convicted Laut after a two-week trial on all 38 counts of the federal indictment, which charged Laut with wire fraud, falsifying medical records, aggravated identity theft, and tampering with a consumer product. Laut has been detained since his conviction.

Between January 2013 and May 2015, Laut changed, altered, and falsified documents and records to conceal his theft of two federally controlled substances – fentanyl and morphine – out of MedStar ambulances. Laut’s most egregious conduct concerned fentanyl, an incredibly powerful opioid narcotic used to treat severe pain. Narcotics boxes on ambulances contain only two vials of fentanyl because they are typically used on only the most severely injured trauma patients. Laut tampered with the fentanyl vials by removing the fentanyl with a syringe and replacing it with saline or some other solution. By this method, Laut made it appear as though the vials were still full and unopened, making his theft almost impossible to detect. These altered fentanyl vials were then placed back in the narcotics box and returned to ambulances. In 2015, 26 out of 28 vials on Medstar Ambulances were found to have tampered with fentanyl vials.

As a result of this case, the procedures for handling narcotics boxes have changed. But before Laut’s crimes were discovered, narcotics boxes were regularly shared among the ambulance companies in the area, which meant that the vials Laut altered were also reintroduced by unsuspecting pharmacists and paramedics onto ambulances owned and operated by companies other than MedStar. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented 82 such vials that were discovered and removed from active duty ambulances throughout the Southwest EMS Region. Investigators were unable to determine definitively whether or to what extent any patients may have received treatment from the altered vials. However, at Laut’s sentencing, a representative of Memorial Hospital informed the court that paramedics in the field had reported occasions when the fentanyl they were administering appeared to be ineffective at relieving pain.

Representatives from both Memorial and Medstar advised the court that the harm caused by the defendant’s crimes was not just the risk that seriously injured patients received saline instead of fentanyl. They also noted that as a result of Laut’s actions, medical directors were forced to remove fentanyl from ambulances for three years because of diversion concerns. One paramedic advised the court at sentencing that, over those three years, he recalled five patients who could not receive morphine because of allergies. Those patients received virtually no pain relief because the fentanyl had been removed.

Using his administrator access for MedStar, Laut altered records, known as patient care reports, to falsely indicate that controlled substances were given to patients when, in fact, they were not. Laut also made false statements on narcotics logs submitted to Memorial Hospital. Narcotics logs are used by paramedics to record the administration of narcotic drugs, including fentanyl and morphine, while treating patients. To cover his tracks, Laut claimed to have given fentanyl and morphine to patients who did not exist or to patients who did not actually receive the drugs. On at least two occasions, Laut unlawfully used the name of a former doctor at Memorial Hospital on a narcotics log as authorization for administering fentanyl and morphine, when neither was actually administered to the patient.

The theft of the drugs and acts to conceal the theft caused a loss to Memorial Hospital, which was financially responsible for keeping the ambulance narcotics boxes filled.

There is no parole in the federal prison system. After he finishes serving his sentence, Laut will spend three years on supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sparta, Illinois Police Department, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, and Diversion Investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration. MedStar Ambulance Inc. in Sparta and Memorial Hospital in Belleville also extensively assisted throughout the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ranley R. Killian and Michael J. Quinley.