Two former Sullivan Emergency Medical Service members charged with theft and misconduct in public office were released on $10,000 signature bonds on Tuesday, September 16.

Kimberly Heine and Richard Heine, of Helenville, the former deputy chief and chief of Sullivan EMS, respectively, are accused of fraudulent actions relating to funds and property associated with the former emergency medical service.

The couple appeared before Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Weston to face the charges, including one count each of theft-false representation over $10,000 and misconduct in office-fraudulent records/statement. In addition, Kimberly Heine is charged with one count of identity theft for financial gain.

If convicted, Kimberly Heine faces a combined maximum sentence of 19 1/2 years in prison and fines of more than $45,000, while Richard Heine could be sentenced to a maximum of 13 1/2 years in prison and fines totaling more than $35,000.  A pre-trial conference at the District Attorney’s Office was scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The Heines are not to work for any ambulance or EMS service, but were granted permission to continue operating their medical transportation business called Sullivan Prestige Ambulance Inc. or Prestige Transports, as long as they only are paid directly by the users of that service and not handling the clients’ accounts. As ordered, they are not to engage in any business in which they are entrusted with someone else’s money.

According to the criminal complaint, the theft and misconduct in office offenses allegedly committed by the pair occurred between January 2011 and June 30, 2012. The single count of identity theft for financial gain charged against Kimberly Heine relates to her alleged use of the Sullivan EMS phone number from July 3, 2012, to August 20, 2012.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Sullivan EMS Secretary/Treasurer Nancy Emons about the service’s telephone number being disconnected and ported to a personal U.S. Cellular account in the name of Kimberly Heine in August 2012.

The couple had been suspended from their duties within Sullivan EMS on June 23, 2012, pending the outcome of an internal investigation and audit. The suspension had been the result of allegations that the pair had mismanaged funds and assets at Sullivan EMS as chief (Richard) and deputy chief (Kimberly) and administrative assistant.

Kimberly Heine did all the recordkeeping as part of her duties as administrative assistant, including payroll.

The Sullivan EMS Board of Directors voted to terminate the couple’s employment on July 3, 2012, and on July 9, Emons reportedly contacted the telephone company asking it to remove the pair as authorized persons on the account, the complaint said.

The board believed Heine was attempting to start her own emergency transport company using the Sullivan EMS telephone number.

Kimberly Heine admitted to authorities of taking possession of the phone number “due to the fact that Sullivan EMS had abandoned the number.”

According to the complaint, she said members of Sullivan EMS had asked her to find a way to cut the phone bill and that they were aware that the phone number in question would be cancelled to reduce the bill.

Emons reportedly countered that a conversation about reducing the phone bill was held; however, “cancelling the main phone line was never an option.”

Kimberly also allegedly admitted in an interview with detectives that her new transport company, Sullivan Prestige Ambulance, was providing inter-facility transportation, which Sullivan EMS no longer provided, and that people contacting her at the stolen Sullivan EMS number for this service could get it through her company, the complaint said.

Under Federal Communications Commission requirements, a tax identification number was required for control of the phone number.

Kimberly stated that a U.S. Cellular employee provided the tax identification number, but she admitted that she and her husband had access to the Sullivan EMS tax identification number because it was stored in their home, according to the complaint.

The mentioned U.S. Cellular employee denied providing the tax identification number, stating in the complaint that he only had access to the last four digits of the number.

Even after the number had been returned to Sullivan EMS, investigators attempted to contact Kimberly using a phone number she provided and in reaching her voicemail found she was still representing herself as being affiliated with Sullivan EMS.

Further investigation related to the Heines’ alleged illegal runs by Sullivan EMS that were not reported to LifeQuest, the processor for Sullivan EMS.

Kami Warren, former Sullivan EMS chief, provided documentation which details a total of 533.25 runs Kimberly submitted to Sullivan EMS payroll, but not to LifeQuest. By statute, all runs by Sullivan EMS had to be reported to LifeQuest.

According to the complaint, Warren’s documentation also showed 499 runs reported by Richard Heine to Sullivan EMS, but not to LifeQuest.

Reports show that Sullivan EMS overpaid Kimberly Heine $13,647.50 for runs and Richard by $13,514.75.

It was further noted that “at no time was Kimberly approved to receive $1,250 per month as a regular monthly stipend.”

Kimberly was appointed as both deputy chief of inter-facility and administrative assistant beginning Sept. 1, 2011, with a total monthly stipend of $700.

Payroll summaries in the complaint show that Kimberly received a stipend in excess of $17,503 from January 2011 to June 2012.

When confronted with the allegations, the Heines defended the unaccounted-for runs, citing that LifeQuest would deny runs because they were not medically necessary or that runs were not billed because they were submitted through the Sentimental Journeys program.

The couple also said runs would go unreported if they lasted more than two hours, the complaint said.

Source:  Ryan Whisner, Daily Union regional editor