Rejected NK fire applicant charged in Co. 2 drug thefts
A New Kent man, who applied to be a volunteer with New Kent Fire and Rescue but was turned down, is now charged with stealing narcotics from drug boxes aboard ambulances stationed at the Quinton Fire and EMS (Company 2) fire house on Route 249.
Monday afternoon, New Kent sheriff’s deputies arrested Clay Douglas Musselman, 22, of 7249 Airport Road, Quinton. The suspect is charged with two counts each of petty larceny and possession of controlled substances in connection with two incidents during which narcotics were reportedly stolen. A sheriff’s office report alleges Musselman entered Station 2 on May 4 and again on May 13 and removed narcotics from ambulance drug boxes.
Musselman also faces burglary and grand larceny charges stemming from another incident. Authorities allege he broke into a residence in the 7200 block of Airport Road on June 16 and removed an electronic gaming console plus accessories.
Contacted Tuesday, New Kent Fire Chief Tommy Hicks said Musselman applied as a volunteer about six months ago, but was rejected based on results of a criminal background check. The suspect, he said, apparently had access to the station and prior knowledge of where drugs are stored. The suspect’s father is a Company 2 member, he added.
“We can’t lock the firehouses down tight so no one can get in, so if someone knew the system and its components, they could gain access to it,” Hicks said, adding that budget constraints prevent the department from installing security cameras.
“This seems to be an isolated incident,” he added.
The chief said Company 2 members discovered several drug boxes “had been compromised.” He said sheriff’s personnel are still investigating how the alleged thefts took place.
A department spokesman said 30 mg. of morphine and 10 mg. of Valium turned up missing.
During the investigation and under fire department policy, all volunteers, staff, and full- and part-time personnel underwent mandatory drug testing. Hicks said those tested numbered close to 120. The suspect was not among those tested, he added.
“Under our policy, any reasonable cause or suspicion allows us to do drug testing,” Hicks said. “Every member of our organization was extremely cooperative.”
As of Tuesday, Musselman was being held in Henrico Jail East in lieu of $2,000 bond. Deputies Chris Stevens, Jim Anthony, Butch Gay, Scott Carnell, Edd Jones, and Detective Joey McLaughlin participated in the investigation.
Sheriff F.W. “Wakie” Howard Jr. praised assistance of fire department staff and volunteers, saying, “The fire chief and his staff cooperated fully with us during this investigation.”