Contra Costa EMS Chief charged with stealing Fentanyl

A chief in charge of emergency medical services at the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District was charged Thursday with crimes including embezzlement after he was caught stealing narcotics from the agency, officials said.

Martinez police arrested Richard Stephenson, 50, on Sunday when investigators determined he had stolen drugs, including the powerful opiate Fentanyl, to support his addiction, officials said.

Stephenson was arraigned Thursday in Contra Costa County Superior Court on two counts of felony embezzlement and two misdemeanor charges of possession of Fentanyl and possession of Midazolam, an anesthetic.

Stephenson has been placed on administrative leave while the fire district conducts an internal investigation. District officials are also addressing internal procedures following the thefts.

Steve Hill, a spokesman for the district, said he could not discuss the particulars of the investigation, but he said all narcotics were pulled off department vehicles for inspection and there was no sign of tampering on the operational stocks.

He added that the district is replacing all of the narcotics “out of an abundance of caution,” while ensuring they have narcotics available to patients if they are needed. The thefts did not pose a risk to the public, Hill said.

Efforts to reach Stephenson’s attorney were not immediately successful.