The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office last month entered a decision of nolle prosequi against Dr. Sandra Schwemmer, former medical director of the Monroe County Fire & Rescue and the Trauma Star Air Ambulance program, following Schwemmer’s agreement to testify against other former county officials who were indicted in a drug scandal that found more than 400 missing vials of narcotics from the Trauma Star helicopter in Marathon.
Schwemmer was indicted in August 2024 on charges of falsifying patient records, obstructing an investigation and making false statements, all in connection with a county clerk audit and investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office that revealed hundreds of missing vials of narcotics from the Trauma Star hangar in Marathon. The audit and investigations led to the indictment of Schwemmer as well as Andrea Thompson, former division chief of EMS & Trauma Star; Roman Gastesi, former county administrator; and Lynda Rusinowski, former chief flight nurse.
The grand jury report that prompted the indictments, released in August 2024, states the following about Schwemmer’s alleged role in the drug scandal and attempted coverup:
“The Grand Jury received a significant amount of information indicating that Dr. Schwemmer was not complying with the terms of her contract with the BOCC.”
“Testimony and information presented to the Grand Jury indicated that … controlled substances such as morphine, fentanyl, Dilaudid, ketamine and Versed regularly went missing without remedial action being taken. However, she did not institute any real changes to the inventory processes during her tenure.”
“Given the multiple incidents involving controlled substances during Dr. Schwemmer’s tenure, the Grand Jury is deeply concerned about the willingness of the BOCC to continually renew Dr. Schwemmer’s contracts that regularly increased the amount of compensation she received without any oversight that the terms of the contracts were being complied with.”
Following Schwemmer’s October 2024 agreement to testify, the state attorney’s office signed a non-prosecution order on Dec. 4, stating, “The defendant has completed all the requirements of the Pre-Trial Intervention Agreement.”
In addition to agreeing to testify in the other pending cases against Thompson, Gastesi and Rusinowski., Schwemmer had to complete courses in workplace leadership, controlled substances and prevention of medical errors. She also made a $1,000 donation to the Good Health Clinic.
The State Attorney’s Office told the Keys Weekly, “We stand behind the findings in the grand jury report,” but declined to comment further while the other cases are still proceeding through the courts.
“I am pleased that all charges against me have been dropped,” Schwemmer said in a statement, without mentioning her agreement to testify against the others. “I maintained from the very beginning that I did nothing improper as medical director of EMS and Trauma Star and performed all duties and responsibilities required of me.”
The grand jury report does not agree that Schwemmer “did nothing improper as medical director.
“I am looking forward to putting this incident behind me and continuing my work in developing and advancing pre-hospital and emergency programs that improve health care for those in need,” Schwemmer added.
Kader Scull, Schwemmer’s attorney, said, “I have maintained that these charges were inconsistent with the years of work Dr. Schwemmer has dedicated to Monroe County. The State Attorney’s (decision) confirms this.”
