A co-owner of a regional ambulance service is facing multiple felony charges after Florida authorities say he used an ambulance to transport cocaine from Alabama into Bay County.
According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Gabriel Moschella, identified as a co-owner of Coastal Care EMS, was arrested Wednesday after deputies stopped an ambulance traveling southbound for reportedly speeding and not displaying a license plate. Investigators said Moschella had driven into Alabama in one of the company’s ambulances and was returning to Florida when the stop was made.
Deputies asked Moschella whether he was on a medical transport, and authorities said he claimed that he was. Investigators, however, reported there were no patients inside the ambulance at the time. A K-9 unit was then used to conduct a free-air sniff around the vehicle, and deputies said the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics.
Authorities said a search of the ambulance uncovered 53.8 grams of cocaine, about $22,000 in cash, a handgun, and an “O” sheet, which investigators say is commonly linked to narcotics sales. Moschella was charged with trafficking cocaine over 28 grams, importing a controlled substance into Florida, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Records also show Moschella previously served as Interim Chief of Bay County Emergency Services before resigning during an investigation in 2023. He is currently listed as a co-owner of Coastal Care EMS, a company launched in 2024.
