LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A former Clark County Fire Department EMS captain is facing several charges over allegations that he stole vials of fentanyl that were intended for emergency medical services.
Christopher Burr was initially arrested after crashing his truck in the northwest Las Vegas Valley on Dec. 24.
Officers responding to the crash found medical vials marked "Fentanyl Citrate" in the center console of the truck, an arrest report stated. Officers also alleged Burr tried to hide the vials, which were later found behind a landscaping retention wall.
Officers also documented finding a bloody, used medical syringe in the floorboard of the truck.
Burr was initially arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. The report states he later agreed to have his blood drawn and that a toxicology report found fentanyl, Zoloft, and a "psychoactive ingredient" called mitragynine in his system.
In the report, police stated mitragynine comes from kratom, a Southeast Asian herb known to produce "opioid- and stimulant-like effects," according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Burr told investigators he "passed out" for an unknown medical reason, he wasn't intoxicated, and that he woke up in the back of a City Rescue vehicle having his vitals taken.
According to the arrest report, police traced the five vials of fentanyl they found at the scene back to a secure storage room at CCFD Headquarters.
At the time, CCFD officials told police Burr had "trusted access to controlled (DEA regulated) narcotics" and that EMS captains are "assigned to obtain narcotics from the room to provide them to EMS ambulances for field use on citizens in medical crisis."
When narcotics are past their expiration date, the drugs are stored inside a cabinet in the storage room.
Following Burr's arrest, CCFD staff did an audit of the storage room and found that "more than 600 vials of narcotics were discovered to be missing." When CCFD officials asked Burr if he had any explanation for the missing vials, he said no and that he wasn't aware of anyone else taking them, the report states.
Burr allegedly told a CCFD official that he has a had a problem with substance abuse in the past and that substance abuse runs in his family.
Burr was charged with misconduct of a public officer and burglary of a business. According to court records, he is scheduled to be back in court on June 12.
Clark County says Burr is no longer employed by the county and the the Clark County Fire Department is in the process of making changes to its controlled substance policy.
LVMPD tells Channel 13 its investigation into the matter has been closed.
