San Diego paramedic charged with identity theft, burglary, possession of ‘ghost guns' and more

A San Diego paramedic is in jail accused of stealing from the same people he helped.

Nicholas Conniry, 43, is charged with possession of controlled substances, possession of assault weapons, burglary and identity theft of more than 10 people.

NBC 7 obtained a search warrant affidavit filed by San Diego Police that outlines why they wanted to search one of his homes. The affidavit says Conniry has a house in San Diego that he owns with his wife and a second home in Temecula that he owns with his fiance’. Conniry also owns several storage units, according to the document now on file with the court.

According to the affidavit filed by Detective Kate Booker, Conniry was one of the paramedics from Fire Station 33 that were called to a home in Rancho Bernardo to tend to a man in distress. The paramedics transported the man to the hospital on July 3, but the next day the woman living in the house heard a noise coming from her backyard. She looked outside and told detectives she saw a man removing a screen from her kitchen window. She later saw the man try to get in via a locked slider.

A neighbor also saw the man and told police he was wearing a paramedic uniform and purple gloves. Neighbors confronted the man who they identified the man as Conniry.

Conniry told neighbors he wanted to get into the house because he believed he had left his iPad behind the day before. The neighbors went inside and looked for, it but did not find the iPad.  Connery then told the neighbors he left out the side entrance so a neighbor checked that area and found the iPad buried in some mulch in a wheelbarrow.

Conniry was arrested the next day as San Diego Police continued their investigation. The affidavit says police found Buprenorphine-Naloxine, a tablet used to treat opioid addiction, on Conniry.

The affidavit says they visited Fire Station 33 and checked Conniry’s assigned bedroom. Inside, police say they found a piece of paper with the address of the house Conniry had tried to enter, also a white tablet laying on the bed.

People working at the firehouse told police Conniry had had a substance abuse problem that caused him to miss some work in 2021. Police also learned, “it appeared Conniry had a stroke or was extremely intoxicated and had to be transported to a hospital while on duty” a few months ago. 

Police searched Conniry’s truck and bedroom at the firehouse and discovered bottles of fentanyl, and other prescription medicines with other people’s names on them, including tramadol and Vicodin, which are controlled substances.

Police say they also found “numerous registered firearms” registered to Conniry.

The affidavit asked a judge to order an immediate search of Conniry’s home.  The search took place on July 11 and resulted in the seizure of ammunition found in several rooms as well as firearms parts, magazines, and equipment used in the making of unregistered “ghost” guns.

NBC 7 reached out to Conniry’s attorney. Howard Williams told us his client is innocent until proven guilty, adding that “The District Attorney is on an expedition to ruin my client’s reputation.”

Williams said his office is conducting its own investigation.

“I look forward to exonerating him in court,” Williams said.

NBC 7 received this statement from Falck, the company that operates San Diego’s ambulance and paramedic services:

“On Friday, July 7, Falck learned that an employee had been charged with breaking into a residence in San Diego while off-duty, among other charges. That individual, Nick Conniry, is no longer employed by Falck. He had been a paramedic with Falck since October 2021. We were shocked and dismayed to hear this news, as we would any breach of the trust both our patients and the community place in us. We’re cooperating fully with law enforcement and are in close communication with our partners at the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.”

A company spokesman added that the fentanyl found in Conniry’s possession did not come from Falck.