TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute a former paramedic who resigned after an investigation into missing narcotics was launched two years ago.
Michael Reyer, 43, left Hillsborough County Fire Rescue July 28, 2021, the day after he was placed on administrative leave. A letter to Reyer from Chief Dennis Jones stated the reason for the leave was “for suspected theft of multiple narcotics.”
The drugs were allegedly stolen from Station 40. According to department protocol, the resue units carry a variety of pain relievers, including morphine, valium and fentanyl.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation into the missing drugs, but no one has indicated what or how much was stolen or whether the supply meant for the public was compromised.
Agency spokesman Marco Villarreal said the department’s findings were submitted to the state attorney after a “thorough investigation by our detectives, while working in conjunction with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.”
As the investigation unfolded earlier this year, Villarreal told 8 On Your Side the sheriff’s office was confident “the case will be able to move forward swiftly, as Hillsborough County residents and any potential victims” seek justice.
But Susan Lopez’s office decided against charging Reyer, indicating in an email to other county officials that the evidence was not strong enough to identify the thief.
“The circumstantial evidence in this case is insufficient to rebut every reasonable hypothesis of innocence as to the identity of the perpetrator of the thefts at issue, ” the email states. “Accordingly, no charges shall be filed in this case.”
Multiple attempts to contact Reyer, who was a 15-year veteran of the department, were unsuccessful.
County spokesperson Chris Wilkerson said Hillsborough Fire Rescure worked closely with law inforcement “since the first indication of misconduct” in Reyer’s case in July 2021.
“Any other inquiries about the case should be made directly to the State Attorney’s Office,” Wilkerson said in an email.
Unanswered is how the thief got around the department’s drug protocol.
A copy of the policy states rescue unit drugs are supposed to be “inventoried daily” by rescue officers during shift changes. The policy requires that, “this joint inventory will be conducted in a face-to-face manner.”
But even with that, an unknown amount of drugs was stolen, according to investigators.
As for Reyer, state records indicate his EMT and Paramedic licenses have lapsed since his resignation, but he is still a licensed as a registered nurse.