Kevin Sweet

Sweet was at one time chief of the Troutville Fire Department and served on the town council until 2008.

A former Roanoke County fire captain who also volunteered with the Troutville Fire Department was indicted this week on charges that he took morphine from the Troutville Rescue Squad.

Kevin Sweet, 38, of Daleville resigned Sunday from the Troutville department, fire chief Scott Paderick said.

Sweet resigned from his paid job at the Roanoke County Fire and Rescue Department's Masons Cove station last month, department spokeswoman Jennifer Conley Sexton said.

He is charged in Botetourt County with three counts of possessing morphine and three counts of obtaining drugs by embezzlement.

Sweet is charged with embezzlement because he was entrusted with the rescue squad's drug supply in some capacity, Botetourt County Commonwealth's Attorney Joel Branscom said. Sweet helped out with the rescue squad, Paderick said.

Branscom said it appears that the drugs were taken on three occasions in May and July.

Sweet was arrested Tuesday and has been released from the Botetourt County Jail. He was at one time chief of the Troutville Fire Department and served on the town council until 2008.

Attempts to reach Sweet were unsuccessful.

Roanoke County police also are investigating the theft of narcotics from a secure box in an ambulance, a news release from the county said.

Staff at the Masons Cove station noticed on July 13 that morphine was missing from the box. They immediately notified police, the news release said.

An investigation showed that the drugs had been taken by a county fire and rescue employee, who has resigned, the news release said.

Police are working with the commonwealth attorney's office, and no one has been charged.

County officials would not release more information on the missing drugs because of the ongoing investigation.