A Baltimore County paramedic accused of contaminating coworkers' food and equipment is up against a hard deadline: accept a plea deal by August 21 or head to trial in October. The paramedic, 31-year-old Christopher M. Carroll, was arrested earlier this year on a 23-count indictment and returned to court this week for a scheduling hearing.
During a brief hearing Tuesday in Baltimore County Circuit Court, a judge set an Aug. 21 cutoff for Carroll to accept the state's plea offer. If he turns it down, the case is scheduled for trial on Oct. 13, according to WBAL-TV.
What Carroll Is Charged With
Carroll faces a 23-count indictment that includes 20 counts of knowingly and willfully causing another person to ingest bodily fluids and three counts of malicious destruction of property, according to court records and CBS Baltimore. Prosecutors say those charges carry potential penalties that could add up to years in prison.
Graphic Allegations From Prosecutors
Charging documents and internal footage, prosecutors say, show Carroll urinating into an ice maker at Fire Station 2 in Pikesville, then wiping a scoop and mixing the ice afterward, conduct that investigators say left multiple coworkers unknowingly exposed. They also allege he ejaculated into a communal coffee creamer and on a supervisor’s keyboard, and that some of the recordings were posted to subscriber-only adult sites, as detailed by The Baltimore Banner.
Department’s Response Inside The Firehouse
Carroll has been suspended from the Baltimore County Fire Department and is being held without bond while the case moves forward. County officials ordered hazardous-materials cleaning at the affected stations and replaced ice machines, while union leaders and management worked to reassure shaken staff, according to WMAR-2 News.
What The Stakes Look Like In Court
Baltimore County prosecutors have told the court they are seeking a maximum sentence that could amount to decades in prison, and filings from the State’s Attorney’s Office note a cap of 30 years with some time suspended, according to WBAL-TV. Carroll's lawyer says his client has no prior criminal record, and prosecutors told the judge any convictions in the case would not require sex-offender registration, CBS Baltimore reported.
