Firefighter wearing fire department gear charged with dealing drugs in several Michigan cities

A veteran of the Detroit Fire Department has been charged with dealing drugs — prescription pills and ecstasy — in several Macomb County communities, prosecutors said Thursday.

Gerald Lewis Trombley, 49, of Warren, is accused of meeting with an undercover Sterling Heights police officer and selling him drugs in Eastpointe, Roseville, and Warren, according to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido.

At the time of his arrest, Trombley was wearing gear issued to him by the Detroit Fire Department, according to a media report.

He was arraigned Wednesday in 38th District Court in Eastpointe on charges of delivery of schedule two drugs, a 7-year felony.

Magistrate Mark Makoski set a $50,000 personal bond with conditions, including twice-a-week drug testing. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for March 15 and a preliminary exam will be held on March 22.

In Roseville’s 39th District Court, Trombley has been arraigned on the same charges and was given a $10,000 personal bond with drug testing.

He has an arraignment scheduled at Macomb County Circuit Court on March 20 from the Roseville case that has already been bound over, prosecutors said.

In Warren, Trombley has been charged with possession with intent to distribute less than 50 grams, a 20-year  felony, deliver of schedule two drugs, a 7-year felony, possession of analogues, a 2-year felony. He was freed on a $25,000 personal bond.

According to a Detroit Fire Department spokesman, Trombley was employed with the department for 15 years. He has since been suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

“The actions of an off-duty firefighter don’t reflect the character and the hard work ethic of our over 1,200 firefighters,” James Harris, Chief of Community Relations with the Detroit Fire Department, previously said in a statement.

Sterling Heights police previously praised the efforts by the undercover detectives in handling the narcotics investigation.

“The outstanding work by our detectives that led to this arrest, has no doubt saved the lives of so many people that are struggling with substance use disorder,” the department said in a statement.