A grand jury recently indicted two high-ranking officials from Monroe County’s air ambulance program as part of an ongoing probe into a former chief flight nurse accused of stealing medications. Dr. Sandra Schwemmer, the medical director for the county’s Fire Rescue and Trauma Star ambulance program, faces charges including official misconduct, providing false information to law enforcement, and altering patient records. Capt. Andrea Thompson, chief of the county’s Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Star, is charged with multiple offenses, including two counts of official misconduct, evidence tampering, witness tampering, and altering patient records.
Legal Proceedings and Bond Details
The court set Schwemmer’s bond at $100,000 and Thompson’s at $250,000. Neither Schwemmer nor Thompson were available for comment, and details regarding their legal representation were not immediately disclosed.
Background of the Investigation Against the Air Ambulance Officials
Dr. Schwemmer, aged 72, oversees the administration and control of all drugs used by fire departments in the county. Both Schwemmer and Thompson, aged 45, were previously involved in a 2013 investigation concerning missing drugs from Trauma Star’s hangar, which did not result in criminal charges.
The indictments on August 8 are part of a broader investigation led by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and State Attorney’s Office into Lynda Rusinowski, the county’s former chief flight nurse. Rusinowski was indicted last week on 36 counts, including 10 counts of grand theft, related to the alleged theft of medical-grade narcotics.
Details of the Allegations
According to the indictment against Schwemmer, she allegedly provided false statements to detectives during their 2022 investigation into Rusinowski and was accused of fraudulently altering medical records that were part of the investigation. Thompson is accused of tampering with evidence and witnesses, as well as providing false information to investigators.
Rusinowski, aged 58, is alleged to have stolen various narcotics, including fentanyl and morphine, from Trauma Star’s hangar. The thefts were reportedly discovered on July 25, 2022, when discrepancies in inventory records were flagged by her colleagues. The remaining 26 counts against Rusinowski involve falsified records intended to conceal the theft.
