ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – A Brevard County assistant state attorney is accused of buying $200 worth of pain pills from an undercover officer during a drug bust.
John Toppa III went to a Lowe's in Rockledge around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and bought 10 Roxicodone 30 mg pills, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.
Once Toppa, 29, had the pills in his hand, an arrest team took him into custody. Deputies said three oxycodone pills and an additional Roxicodone pill were found in Toppa's car.
The State Attorney's Office fired Toppa Thursday morning. He was hired in 2013 and assigned to the felony trial division. State Attorney Phil Archer has asked that Gov. Rick Scott appoint another state attorney.
“As we have seen in countless cases, the pill epidemic affects all families and all professions. However, as public servants sworn to uphold the rule of law, every member of my office has a responsibility to perform their duties with honesty and integrity," Archer said. "By taking the oath of office, assistant state attorneys are trusted to faithfully represent the values of this office. When that trust is violated there must be an immediate and transparent effort to fully identify the wrongdoing, hold those responsible to account, and restore the trust and confidence of the public.”
The State Attorney's Office is cooperating with the Brevard County Sheriff's Office investigation, which includes an internal audit of all the criminal cases to which Toppa had been assigned.