A Florida paramedic recently hailed as the best in his field has been arrested for his role in stealing three doses of the coronavirus vaccine, the sheriff said.
Joshua Colon, a 31-year-old paramedic and training officer for Polk County Fire Rescue, was arrested Monday on charges of, among other things, forgery, official misconduct, uttering a forged instrument and criminal use of personal identification, the sheriff officials said. announced on Tuesday.
Colon, who stepped down on Friday, reportedly assisted a captain in stealing three doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and subsequently falsified screening and consent forms. He later told detectives that his supervisor had ordered him – who “ joked ” with him that day to get vaccines for his mother, according to a sworn arrest.
According to Polk County Police Department, an investigation is underway into the alleged role of Colon’s supervisor in the theft.
But Polk County Fire Rescue Capt. Anthony Damiano will also be arrested when he returns from a work assignment in California, the Tampa Bay Times reported, citing a Tuesday press conference held by Sheriff Grady Judd and Fire Rescue Chief Robert Weech.
Less than two weeks before his arrest, Colon was honored as ‘Paramedic of the Year’ in 2020 by a group of local nonprofit civic clubs for outstanding service to the community, including his actions during a severe multi-vehicle wreck on a state highway.
Colon was indicted after an investigation into his alleged Jan. 6 actions while administering vaccines to emergency responders at a Davenport fire station.
Colon later admitted to forging paperwork during an interview with deputies Monday, saying he used the identities of two firefighters and a fictitious name on the screening and consent forms – which he signed, the affidavit shows.
Judd said Tuesday that Colon told investigators Damiano had asked him to receive vaccine doses for Damiano’s mother. Colon initially declined, but his supervisor threatened to tell the department head that he was selling doses while off-duty, an affidavit shows.
Later that day, Damiano ordered Colon to take his lunch break, and the paramedic noticed three missing vaccines when he returned, authorities said.
“Colon advised that he had not questioned his supervisor regarding the missing vaccines, but he immediately became suspicious,” the affidavit continued. “Colon has not reported this incident to anyone within Polk County Fire Rescue.”
Colon later admitted to forging three consent forms related to the vaccines, using fake email addresses and a fictitious name in the process. He was released after posting a bond, the sheriff said.
Damiano, a 17-year-old veterinarian on the department, will likely face theft and official misconduct charges when he returns to Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Judd said Colon Damiano called from his attorney’s office, while the deputies held off the call and the captain said the missing doses were parked in a car at a friend’s house in St. Cloud.
Two of the recovered doses are no longer usable, while the third was not found, the paper reported.
“Basically, Joshua was trying to cover up the captain,” Judd told reporters on Tuesday. Joshua made sure the vaccines were stolen. If Joshua had just gone to his boss at the time, he would have been the hero. Instead, he started faking paperwork and making up people who didn’t exist to cover it up. “