NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A New York City Medical Examiner’s Office employee allegedly stole a Louis Vuitton purse from the home of a deceased person he was helping to transport, officials announced Tuesday.
The 49-year-old Queens man, Trevor Rheams, worked as a driver for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. On Aug. 9, he was sent to help transport a deceased person from their apartment to the medical examiner’s office, authorities said.
Rheams was with a police officer whose body cam footage showed a Louis Vuitton bag in the apartment’s kitchen. While other workers were taking care of the body, Rheams was left alone for a short period of time, officials said.
The next day, another medical examiner employee was cleaning and inspecting the car Rheams used the day before and found a pillowcase with the Louis Vuitton bag inside on the passenger-side floor. The bag’s tag had the same last name as the deceased person Rheams transported.
“OCME employees are trusted to handle difficult and sensitive work and their professionalism and integrity are of utmost importance,” Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said. “As charged, this City employee betrayed that trust when he used his access to a decedent’s home and personal belongings to steal a luxury bag. I want to thank OCME for its immediate referral to DOI and its assistance on this matter, and our law enforcement partners, the NYPD and Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, for their swift work on this investigation.”
Rheams, who has been working for the city’s medical examiner for 15 years, has been on modified duty since Aug. 10. He was arrested on Oct. 26 and charged with petit larceny and official misconduct. He faces up to two years in prison for the misdemeanors. Rheams’ next court date is Jan. 10.
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