The Pinellas Park firefighter-paramedic accused of selling powerful prescription drugs will be appointed a public defender.
James A. Comer, 38, of Largo is charged with 16 separate counts involving the sale, delivery and possession of oxycontin, morphine, alprazolam, oxycodone and hydromorphone. He is being held at the Pinellas County Jail on $185,015, which judge reduced slightly Sunday.
Comer said he couldn't afford an attorney and the judge agreed to appoint a public defender during a first appearance hearing.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, detectives learned Comer was selling drugs Friday, so they set up an undercover purchase later that day. They arrested Comer around noon Saturday in the parking lot of Northside Hospital, where he works part-time as an emergency room nurse.
Comer was hired to work with the Pinellas Park Fire Department as a paramedic in September 2008 and also worked with the city's SWAT team, the city said.
The Sheriff's Office said Comer had more than 180 pills. How he got them is under investigation.
Oxycontin, morphine, oxycodone and hydromorphone are opiate medications prescribed for acute pain. Alprazolam, better known by its trade name Xanax, is an anxiety pill.
Comer did not have a previous arrest record in Florida.