A fire rescue paramedic from Polk County has been arrested for stealing bottles of Modern COVID-19 vaccine, the sheriff’s office said.
Joshua Colon, 31, was just named Paramedic of the Year in 2020, but was arrested Monday for stealing the vaccine, then falsifying the screening and consent forms. Colon told detectives he was instructed to do so by his supervisor.
“It simply came to our notice then. Not only were we responsible for maintaining public confidence, but we had a special duty and it was to deliver the vaccine to the first responders, who help the public, “said fire chief Robert Weech.
On January 6, Colon received three vials containing 10 vaccines each and was instructed to administer them to the first respondents.
Colon told deputies that his supervisor, Captain Anthony Damiano, joked with him about getting vaccines for Damiano’s mother. Colon said Damiano told him to report these vaccines as waste. According to the arrest report, Colon initially refused, but Damiano threatened to tell Colon’s supervisors that he was stealing and selling vaccines.
Colon said he was ordered to go on a lunch break later that day by Damiano. The vaccines were left in a labeled refrigerator. When Colon returned to the station, he said he noticed that the label label had changed and that three vaccines were missing. He did not report the incident to anyone in the Polk County Fire Department.
Colon told deputies that when he was later asked to document the total number of doses given, he created a fake name, email addresses and phone numbers to show that each vaccine had been counted.
“The bottom line is that Joshua tried to cover for the captain. Joshua set the circumstance for the vaccines to be stolen. If Joshua had simply gone to his boss right then, he would have been the hero, ”said Sheriff Grady Judd.
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Meanwhile, many Polk County residents have struggled to get an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine. After weeks of trying to get vaccinated, Donna Durham finally got one last week.
“I am disappointed with the people we trust, who should be here, helping us and taking advantage of the situation. There’s just no word for that, “she said.
Colon is charged with:
- 4 counts false (F3) every $ 1,000
- 4 accounts pronouncing a forged instrument (F3) of USD 1,000 each
- 4 counts falsification of medical records (M2), a guarantee of 250 USD each
- 1 official misconduct number (F3) bond of $ 1,000 each
- 1 criminal use number of personal ID (F3), guarantee of 1,000 USD each
- 2 accounts that create a fictitious personal ID (F3), a guarantee of 1,000 USD each
He was released after he filed a bond and resigned from Polk County Fire Rescue. Damiano is currently under criminal investigation. He was with Polk Fire Rescue for 17 years and a 14-year-old captain.
“We’ll talk to him either late in the evening or in the morning, he could walk and surrender. You can run, but you can’t hide,” Judd said.
Polk Fire Rescue paramedic arrested for stealing COVID-19 vaccine ampoules | Press conference