San Jose fire captain charged after allegedly stealing painkillers, sedatives
A San Jose Fire Department captain was arraigned Monday afternoon on felony charges for allegedly stealing drugs intended to help the ill or injured during emergencies.
According to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen's office, 45-year-old Mark Moalem of Gilroy has been charged with felony burglary, possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of a controlled substance. Moalem is accused of stealing vials of the painkiller morphine and the sedative midazolam from a locked box at a fire station.
Authorities arrested Moalem last month on suspicion of burglary, child endangerment and narcotics violations.
"The community puts their lives in the hands of first responders during emergencies," Rosen said in a statement. "There is no excuse for violating the trust and safety of Santa Clara County residents."
According to prosecutors, firefighters at Station 4 on Leigh Avenue reported on April 14 that a vial of morphine appeared to have been tampered.
On the same day, a paramedic who administered morphine from another station to a patient reported that the drug did not have any effect on the patient's pain.
A week earlier, prosecutors said Moalem was found between two fire trucks near where a narcotics box was kept at Station 29, a station he was not assigned to. Moalem was off duty at the time.
An audit of all 34 fire stations in the city revealed that morphine and midazolam had been tampered with in at least 17 stations, prosecutors said. A box containing narcotics vials was also missing from a fire truck.
An investigation by San Jose police found Moalem's vehicle in the area of Station 4 around the time the narcotics box was allegedly stolen. The driver appeared to have matched the firefighter's description.
During a search of Moalem's home, prosecutors said a "large quantity" of needles was found, along with vials of morphine and midazolam that appeared to be from the fire department. Investigators also found four bags of IV saline solution, three of which appeared to be used.
"This is incredibly dangerous conduct that the individual firefighter engaged in. It put people's lives at risk, it absolutely did that," Rosen said at a news conference ahead of Moalem's arraignment. "At the same time, we recognize that this is a person addicted to drugs, and is addicted to pain killers, and we very much want this person to get the treatment they need, and we want him to be held accountable for the crimes committed."
A 22-year veteran of the San Jose Fire Department, Moalem was previously arrested in 2013 for possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of an opiate, according to the DA's office. He was also suspected in a 2023 incident where a bottle of morphine was stolen from a fire station.
According to Rosen's office, Moalem faces a maximum of three years and eight months in state prison if convicted.
