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Anthony Damiano, a Polk County Fire Rescue captain, allegedly took three syringes containing doses of Moderna’s vaccine, intending to give doses to his elderly mother, according to an arrest affidavit.
Damiano surrendered on Wednesday afternoon, according to the affidavit.
He was charged with petty theft and instigating another person to forge official documents as a civil servant. He was released on bail from Polk County Jail, according to inmate records.
CNN tried unsuccessfully to contact him for comment.
Damiano is the second person arrested in this case. Earlier this week, paramedic Joshua Colon was arrested for his alleged role in tampering with vaccine testing and consent forms that authorities say “set up the circumstances” that led to the theft.
According to the affidavit, Colon told investigators Damiano “joked with him” about getting doses for his mother, telling the paramedic he could report them as “garbage.”
Colon says that when he refused to give him the vaccine, Damiano threatened to “tell his superiors that Colon sells vaccines outside of work,” according to the sheriff’s affidavit.
“Colon said he became frightened because of Captain Damiano’s rank in the agency,” the affidavit read.
Damiano ordered Colon to take a break, and when he returned to the station, three doses of the vaccine were missing from the refrigerator where it was stored, according to Colon’s statement to investigators.
Colon then “made up the stories and the false documents” to explain the missing doses, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference Tuesday.
Colon’s attorney, David R. Carmichael, told CNN in a statement that Colon “encountered a very difficult situation when a supervisor asked Mr. Colon to provide unauthorized doses of the Covid vaccine for use. of the supervisor’s family “.
Colon “deeply regrets his weakness in not alerting the chain of command to the theft of the vaccine,” Carmichael said.
Two of the doses were later found in Damiano’s car, according to the affidavit. They were no longer viable, according to Polk County Fire Chief Robert Weech.
Damiano’s mother told investigators her son tried to help him get the vaccine, according to the affidavit. She said she had not received the vaccine and believed he was “trying to help her get the vaccine legally.”
Damiano resigned from Polk County firefighters before surrendering to authorities, according to Chris Jonckheer, spokesman for the department.
Colon also resigned, Weech said earlier this week.
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