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| Ritchie Offers Apology |
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| News - Miami County News | |||
| Written by Brian McCauley | |||
| Wednesday, 11 March 2009 09:00 | |||
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Benjamin Ritchie, 27, stood before Miami County District Judge Amy Harth on Thursday and said he was sorry for stealing morphine while he was a battalion chief for Miami County Emergency Medical Services. “I realize what I’ve done is very irresponsible. I’m very, very sorry for all of this,” Ritchie said after specifically apologizing to the county, Miami County EMS and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department. Ritchie pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession of morphine and one count of theft. Ritchie originally was charged with 11 counts of possession of morphine and 11 counts of theft, but the remaining counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. He appeared in court Thursday for his sentencing, and Harth stuck with the plea arrangement, sentencing Ritchie to one year on one charge and six months on the other. Ritchie won’t head to prison, though, as the sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation for one year. Under the condition of the probation, Ritchie must pay all of his court costs, surrender his EMT license and not work in the medical field, as well as write an apology letter to Miami County. Harth said Ritchie was lucky his actions did not have more severe consequences for his patients, and she also said his case is an example in Miami County of the increasing problem across the country of the abuse of pain killers, especially by those who work in the medical field. “People will do anything to feed their addiction,” Harth said. “I don’t think any of us understand that unless we have lived it.” Ritchie’s lawyer said Ritchie got addicted to pain killers following a football injury several years ago. He also said Ritchie kept his addiction secret from his family and his coworkers. As for now, Ritchie’s lawyer said the young man currently is working in a coal mine, and he is regularly attending counseling for his addiction. He also said doctors have found four pinched nerves that could be fixed, which may alleviate the pain. Ritchie was hired last August and was terminated in October. A new battalion chief since has been hired. The investigation into the morphine theft began last October, after the Miami County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by EMS officials, according to a news release.
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