Former Mount Dora firefighter accused of theft, tampering with emergency medication

MOUNT DORA, Fla. - A former Mount Dora firefighter is accused of tampering with medication – which greatly compromises the medication and patient care, the fire department said. 

Lt. Jesse Ravenscraft was arrested on March 6 after reports of tampering with medication and theft – totaling to $3.76. 

What we know:

Lt. Jesse Ravenscraft – who resigned from the Mount Dora Fire Department on March 13 – is accused of tampering with medication stored on one of the department's vehicles. 

Ravenscraft was arrested and charged with reckless tampering with a product with risk of injury and theft. 

The fire department reported that two vials of Diphenhydramine – commonly known as Benadryl – appeared to have been tampered with, an arrest affidavit said. 

Missing Benadryl vials

The fire department's investigation began when vials of Benadryl were missing from one of its stations. 

During the investigation, the staff learned that several Benadryl packages were tampered with, the fire department told FOX 35 in a statement. Through an internal review and evidence, the fire department identified Lt. Ravenscraft as the person responsible, the department said. 

Other items missing from a fire department truck included: one flush and two one cc syringes. 

Tampered Benadryl vials

On March 4, an officer seized two 50mg vials of Benadryl with detached caps and a water bottle – which appeared to have a needle hole and was leaking water, the affidavit said. The Benadryl appeared to be tampered with, as investigators noted a glue-like substance on the side. 

Police said an email from a firefighter engineer to the fire chief said Ravenscraft asked the engineer to drive him to a local dollar store and a gas station, asking if Dollar Tree had superglue, the arrest affidavit said. 

An open package – believed to contain glue in a tube – was on Ravenscraft's desk, the affidavit said. 

What happens when medication is tampered with? 

The fire chief – a licensed paramedic – told officers in a written statement that medication vials are prepared and distributed with strict quality control. These safety standards ensure that patients get the correct medication with the proper dosage. 

Other risks to patients, according to the fire chief's written statements, include: 

• The medication is compromised if a vial is tampered with and/or replaced with unintended substances.
• Patients may not receive the medication required for treatment, which can worsen their condition, lead to treatment failure, prolonged illness or death.
• The absence of the intended drug can lead to a risk of bacterial contamination.
• Introducing an unintended substance into a sterile vial can increase bacterial contamination – leading to infections, sepsis or other serious complications.

Cost of missing items

• 50mg Benadryl bottles: $1.47 each
• Syringe: $0.15 each
• Flush: $0.52 each

What they're saying:

In a statement to FOX 35, the City of Mount Dora said the tampered vials were removed from service, and a full inventory of all medications was conducted. At no point was patient care or public safety compromised, a city spokesperson said. 

What's next:

After discovering the missing medication, the fire department said additional safeguards were implemented, including a full inventory of all on-site medications and increased monitoring with twice-daily checks.