Monroe County Administrator Christine Hurley last Friday elected to terminate the employment of indicted Monroe County Fire Rescue Division Chief Andrea Thompson, county spokeswoman Kristen Livengood told the Weekly on Sept. 27.
The decision to terminate Thompson follows the recommendation in an August grand jury report that indicted Thompson, former County Administrator Roman Gastesi and former Trauma Star medical director Dr. Sandra Schwemmer for their alleged roles in the 2022 theft and loss of more than 600 vials of controlled substances from Monroe County Fire Rescue, which oversees the county’s Trauma Star air ambulance service.
The grand jury recommended the county “immediately terminate” Thompson and forbid her from returning or holding any position with MCFR. She was suspended without pay after a 11-count indictment, including charges of official misconduct, providing false information to law enforcement, tampering with physical evidence and tampering with witnesses.
Backed by more than two dozen others wearing custom “I Stand with Andrea Thompson” shirts, Thompson attended the Monroe County BOCC’s meeting on Sept. 11 in Key Largo. County Attorney Bob Shillinger and human resources director Bryan Cook outlined the process for Thompson’s first pre-determination hearing, used by the county in disciplinary cases to investigate an employee’s charges and determine whether the individual can return to work as charges are pending.
Speaking to the commission, Thompson’s attorney Kendall Coffey told the board he hoped the pre-determination hearing would be less “one-sided” than a grand jury report, which he called “an instrumentality of investigation for prosecution.”
“There are other processes, ultimately including a jury trial, which are conceived to hear both sides and bring out the truth,” he said.
“The hearing officer made the recommendation after conducting a pre-determination hearing as well as reviewing pertinent documents pursuant to the county’s personnel policies and procedures manual,” Livengood wrote in Friday’s statement. “The hearing officer determined that Thompson violated county policy, which constituted a breach of the public trust, particularly given her leadership role.”
“Monroe County remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and accountability,” said Hurley. “We want to ensure public trust and safety throughout Monroe County Fire Rescue and all county departments.”
In an emailed statement, Thompson’s attorney Sean Parys told the Weekly that Friday’s decision “was made solely based on her arrest and indictment, without consideration of the actual evidence in the case.”
“As she has throughout her career, Thompson acted with professionalism and integrity during this incident, and all decisions were made by or with her colleagues and superiors,” he said. “When the actual evidence is tested in court, it will show Andrea Thompson is innocent.”
According to Monroe County court records, the next hearing in Thompson’s case is set for Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. in Key West before Judge Mark Jones.
