Cobb Suspends Firefighter from Douglasville

A Cobb firefighter from Douglasville has been suspended for three days without pay after he admitted that he purchased illegal steroids from a former Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services employee three years ago.

Engineer Jody Cochran is one of three firefighters disciplined in recent days in the wake of an investigation into alleged steroid distribution and use among Cobb firefighters and police officers. While Lt. Rick Bennett was cleared Monday of any wrongdoing, firefighter Vaughn D. Zellers was suspended Friday for 10 days without pay and firefighter Darnell Musgrove was fired Monday, according to letters Chief Sam Heaton sent to the men Friday and Monday. Firefighter Craig Nemeth and police Ofc. E.A. Meadors had already resigned.

Cochran, who has been with the fire department for 25 years, said he was given steroids once and paid for them with cash another time. Cochran told investigators that he had a prescription for testosterone and did not think that his actions were illegal.

Considering Cochran's years of experience as a certified paramedic, Heaton said that line of thinking was "hard to comprehend." And while he believed that Cochran's actions "displayed a disregard for the responsibility you hold for the safety of others," Heaton said "it does not appear that your involvement with illegal steroids resulted in behavior putting others at risk."

Cobb started its investigation May 20 after the Marietta Cobb Smyrna Narcotics Unit received a tip that a former firefighter may have illegally used steroids in 2010, county spokesman Robert Quigley said. Following additional claims that other firefighters and a police officer could be involved, the investigation expanded, he said. In all, five firefighters and one police officer were under investigation.

There are no indications that the alleged distribution or use of steroids occurred on county property or while the employees were on duty, Quigley said. However, Cobb has a zero tolerance policy for the possession or consumption of controlled substances unless directed by a physician.

"We expect our employees to follow the rules, to set a positive example for those around them and to hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct both on and off duty," county manager David Hankerson said in July.