Former Flagler County Fire Rescue employee found guilty of sex battery on unconscious patient in ambulance

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A former Flagler County Fire Rescue employee was found guilty Wednesday of sexually battering a patient who was unconscious in an ambulance.

James Melady was arrested last year after he was accused of molesting a patient in an ambulance while on duty in 2021.

A jury deliberated a few hours on Wednesday to reach a guilty verdict.

“The defendant not only abused our victim - he abused the position he held as a first responder,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in a statement. “His sentence should reflect the damage he did to our victim and to the profession he shamed.”

Melady was also accused of video voyeurism, but the jury found him not guilty of that charge.

He faces up to 15 years in prison.

Earlier this year, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said he was accused of stealing patients’ debit cards and making fraudulent purchases with them.