Florida's Paramedic of the Year is arrested for stealing three doses of Moderna vaccine - but claims he was setup by his supervisor who stole them for his mom
A Florida man who was named Polk County's Paramedic of the Year in 2020 was arrested Monday for stealing three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine - but claims he was set up by his supervisor.
Joshua Colon, 31, was detained after he allegedly forged vaccine screening and consent forms for missing Moderna vaccines that were designated for firefighters, according to a press release from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
The affidavit for his arrest states that the Polk County Fire Rescue paramedic told authorities that he had forged the forms at the direction of his supervisor.
Colon, who was just celebrated by the fire department in a January 13 Facebook post, resigned on January 22.
According to Colon's arrest affidavit, the training officer and other members of the Polk County Fire Rescue had been directed to administer Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to first responders.
In addition to each vaccine recipient being added to an extensive database log, each first responder is required to sign a Florida Health COVID-19 Vaccine Screening and Consent Form for each recipient.
Colon received three vials that contained a total of 30 vaccines and was ordered to administer them to first responders who responded to Station 38 in Davenport to obtain the vaccine.
Colon, who was just celebrated by the fire department in a January 13 Facebook post, resigned on January 22
At the completion of the day, Colon initially reported that he administered 28 vaccines, while two were disposed for normal reasons. He then clarified that he administered 27 vaccines, while three were waste.
When asked to provide the forms on repeated occasions, the paramedic only gave 21 completed forms and the log, according to the affidavit. But the log contained 23 vaccine recipients, which did not add up to the number of forms returned.
When compared to the log, it was determined that two forms were noticed as missing and one was noticed as missing a date of birth.
Colon is said to have given the names of two firefighters and a third person when asked to complete the information for the forms. An investigation determined that while the third person did not exist, the first two firefighters had not yet received the vaccine.
Colon received three vials that contained a total of 30 vaccines and was ordered to administer them to first responders who responded to Station 38 in Davenport (pictured) to obtain the vaccine
In an interview with deputies on Jan. 25, Colon is said to have admitted to creating and signing the three forms himself. Colon admitted that the information given on the forms was fictitious, according to the affidavit.
Colon is said to have told deputies that on the day of the incident, his supervisor - who was not named - joked that Colon should get some vaccines for the supervisor's mother.
Syringes are filled with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
Colon told deputies he refused to provide the vaccine to his supervisor, who then threatened to tell higher ups that the paramedic was selling vaccines outside of work. Colon claimed that he was then ordered to take a lunch break, only to return and discover that three vaccines were missing,
While he said that he was immediately suspicious of his supervisor, Colon did not initially report their absence.
When later asked for documents, Colon told deputies that he created the fake information.
Colon was charged with four counts of forgery, four counts uttering forged instrument, four counts falsifying medical records, one count official misconduct, one count criminal use of personal ID and two counts creating fictional personal D.
He has since been released after posting bond while an investigation into the supervisor and the incident is ongoing.
Colon (right) was charged with four counts of forgery, four counts uttering forged instrument, four counts falsifying medical records, one count official misconduct, one count criminal use of personal ID and two counts creating fictional personal D.
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