Firefighter accused of drug theft

BENTONVILLE — A Centerton firefighter was arrested after being accused of stealing morphine from the department.

Michael Allen Brown, 31, is free on $10,000 bond.

He was arrested last week in connection with forgery and controlled substances and fraudulent practices. Prosecutors have not filed formal charges.

Brown has been fired, according to Centerton Fire Chief Matt Thompson.

Thompson contacted police last week to report missing narcotics from an ambulance, according to a probable-cause affidavit. Thompson said he found one vial containing 10 milligrams of morphine was missing and unaccounted for while doing counts of controlled substances on an ambulance, according to the affidavit.

Thompson found out Brown, a firefighter/paramedic, was the last paramedic to log into the safe lockboxes in which narcotics are stored, according to the affidavit. The time stamps of access to the boxes was just prior to Brown leaving work early, citing illness.

Video footage was obtained of Brown entering the supply room where the narcotics safe is located, and Brown’s signature was on sign-out sheets, according to the affidavit. Two other firefighters’ names were on the sheets, but both said they were in different locations at the time the log sheet was signed and could not have signed for the narcotics.

Justin Mustain, a Centerton police detective, went to Brown’s home in Fayetteville to speak to him. Brown told Mustain he went on a motor vehicle collision call and had given the patient 2 milligrams of morphine but then allowed her to sign a refusal, the affidavit states. Brown said he did not document the incident because he thought he would get in trouble.

Mustain told Brown he would speak with the patient to confirm his story, and Brown then claimed he had pulled up the drug in anticipation of giving it, but then discarded it, according to the affidavit. Brown said he signed the drug sheets after replacing the drugs that morning.

The affidavit says Brown admitted to Mustain to having a problem. He told the detective he had gone to an emergency room for abdominal issues, used what he had and then used the missing morphine, the affidavit says.

Brown’s arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. March 25 in Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren’s court.