Norristown Ambulance Worker Headed To Trial, Charged With Stealing Morphine

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - A Norristown man accused of stealing narcotics from a Montgomery County ambulance squad while he was the assistant chief is headed to trial on charges that include possession of a controlled substance, theft and receiving stolen property.

A judge ordered Dominic Venezia held for trial on all charges after the 37-year-old man waived his preliminary hearing in District Court in Conshohocken. Authorities say the investigation began in early May after the Chief of Operations at Plymouth Ambulance noticed narcotics were missing from a medical supply cabinet in his locked office. A hidden camera was set up and police say it caught Venezia stealing morphine.

Prosecutor Rebecca Strubel says the drugs were for personal use, "There's no evidence that he distributed or intended to distribute the narcotics to anybody else. Mr. Venezia admitted that he does have a drug problem."

Authorities say patient care was not compromised. Venezia was also a police officer in Whitemarsh, but no longer works on the force.

Reported by Suburban Bureau Chief Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio 1060