AL Fire Medic Arrested in Fentanyl Theft

A Dothan fire medic was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing narcotics from a department storage facility, authorities said.

Jesse R. Taylor, of Rehobeth, was arrested after Dothan police received a call from the fire department that narcotics were stolen from a storage facility operated by the fire department.

An investigation into the theft was launched by the DEA, which found that 42 vials of fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 50-100 times more potent than morphine — were missing from the facility, Dothan police said.

The investigation determined that Taylor, who had been on administrative leave since March 16, was responsible for the theft.

He was arrested Tuesday on charges of trafficking in fentanyl and second-degree theft of property, and taken to the Dothan City Jail on $30,000 bond.

Federal authorities said additional charges were possible, according to police.

“It is disturbing to all when a member of the public safety community violates the trust placed on them by the citizens they serve,” Dothan Police Chief William E. Benny said in a statement. “The Dothan Fire Department and Chief Larry Williams have been transparent and assisted in the investigation in every way possible. By the nature of Taylor’s position in the Fire Department, he was able to access the storage location and remove the medication without suspicion until the inventory revealed the discrepancy.”

There are no other suspects in the case, police said.

Taylor was served a termination notice from the city, which will follow regulations about the medic’s due process, according to the announcement of his arrest.

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