Details emerge on San Jose Fire Department captain’s drug history

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — A veteran San Jose Fire Department captain is suspected of stealing drugs from as many as 17 fire stations, city officials said. Fire Captain Mark Moalem was arrested by police detectives last week following an SJFD audit of controlled substances stored in its stations.

“Lives depend on our firefighters’ ability to administer medical care during emergencies. We take theft of controlled substances extremely seriously,” said Mayor Matt Mahan.

Moalem was arrested on suspicion of burglary, child endangerment, and narcotics violations. His last day working was on April 15, city officials said.

Mahan said, “I’m grateful to our City Manager and Police Chief for acting quickly and decisively by opening an investigation and holding those responsible accountable. I’ll continue monitoring the situation and look forward to procedural changes that ensure this never happens again.”

According to records obtained by KRON4, the San Jose Fire Department was well aware of Moalem’s prior history with drug addiction.

Records from the California Emergency Medical Services Authority state that Moalem was on duty working as a firefighter for SJFP when he was found unconscious inside a bathroom. An empty syringe and vial were next to him. The incident happened on November 22, 2013 and the vial contained morphine. After Moalem was rushed to a hospital, he told police that he was addicted to opiates, according to EMSA’s report.

Moalem said his drug problem stemmed from a work-related lower back injury. In 2012, a doctor gave the fire captain a prescription for OxyContin, an addictive opiate used by some doctors for patients with severe pain.

That summer, “he was in full-blown addiction,” and fire department officials were aware of his struggles, EMSA’s report states.

The fire captain spent a month in detox before he returned to duty with SJFD in September 2012. By the end of 2012, Moalem went on disability leave, however, his drug use “escalated,” the report states.

When he returned to work in 2013 and attempted to stop using morphine recreationally, he suffered from withdrawal symptoms, the report writes. A supervisor noticed that the fire captain was “not acting right,” EMSA investigators wrote.

Moalem told state investigators that when he went to work on November 22, 2013, he decided to inject himself with morphine to make his withdrawal symptoms subside.

After he was found passed out in a bathroom, Moalem went to a hospital and completed a rehab program. A year later, Moalem returned to duty with the fire department.

In 2015, an interim fire chief testified that Moalem was an excellent and highly skilled paramedic who remained calm under pressure. At the time, he had no record of stealing drugs while on the job, EMSA’s report states. Several members of SJDF also testified that Moalem was a trustworthy, responsible, and dependable firefighter.

San Jose Fire Department spokesperson Hannah Denys told KRON4 Wednesday, “In 2013, Captain Moalem was the subject of drug related charges. Captain Moalem was required to submit to random drug testing over several years and, additionally, had his paramedic license revoked by the California Emergency Medical Services Agency after their own investigation was conducted. The action to revoke the paramedic license was stayed pursuant to completion of several conditions during a five-year probation.”

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has not yet filed charges against Moalem in connection to his April 2025 arrest.

Following last week’s arrest, City Manager Jennifer Maguire said, “I will not tolerate criminal behavior. The allegations are deeply concerning and represent a serious breach of public trust. I want to be unequivocal: any conduct that endangers community safety or undermines the integrity of our public institution will be addressed with the utmost seriousness.” 

The fire captain is currently out of custody, according to jail inmate records.