A long-time employee of Alamance County has been arrested for allegedly embezzling fentanyl from Emergency Medical Services.
Paul Kyle Buckner was ultimately taken into custody on Thursday after a month-long investigation into the disappearance of this powerful opioid from the county’s EMS building.
According to the office of Alamance County’s sheriff, Buckner had used his employee access to take several vials of fentanyl “for his personal benefit” from a secure area used to house controlled substances.
The 44-year-old white male of 1713 Erwin Avenue in Burlington has consequently been charged with felony-level fentanyl possession and larceny by an employee. He also faces two misdemeanor counts for the allegedly illegal possession of controlled prescription drugs.
A crew chief supervisor with Alamance County EMS, Buckner originally joined the county’s staff in August of 1998, according to the county’s personnel office, which reports his current annual salary as $66,284. According to the county’s personnel office, Buckner has been suspended from his job pending the results of an administrative investigation.
According to the sheriff’s office, Buckner was released from jail after his arrest on a written promise to appear in court.
