Former paramedic gets probation for taking dead man's wallet

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A former Santa Fe paramedic has been sentenced to probation for stealing a debit card from a man getting treatment and using it to spend more than $11,000 after the patient died. The Albuquerque Journal reports (http://bit.ly/2i9oLvr ) that 32-year-old Michael John Harcharik on Monday was sentenced to a suspended sentence of six years in prison. If he serves probation without incident, he will avoid jail time. He pleaded no contest on Dec. 15 to identity theft and three counts of violating the Remote Financial Service Act. Harcharik was arrested in April after Allan Pearson's daughter noticed multiple purchases on her father's account, including of a riding lawn mower. Police believe Harcharik stole the card when paramedics went to Pearson's Santa Fe home after he was found unresponsive March 25.