Annette Box, 49, of Pasadena
Circuit Court Judge Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch sentenced Annette Box, 49, of Pasadena, to six months of active incarceration for misconduct in office and other charges related to the theft of controlled dangerous substances from county facilities.
“It is uniquely distressing when a person who is placed in a position of trust, who works in service to our community, abuses their access for personal gain” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams. “Annette Box violated the public’s faith in law enforcement, and now finds herself on the other side of the criminal justice system.”
On December 20, 2016, Anne Arundel County Police received a call for a motor vehicle accident in a residential area. Responding officers learned that one of the parties involved in the accident was Annette Box, director of the Anne Arundel County Crime Lab.
Police were made aware of suspicious behavior when a witness reported that Box had her 12 year old daughter carry black trash bags from her vehicle to a neighbor’s home. Police approached the neighbor and requested access to the bags. Once turned over, police found a large amount of varied prescription drugs.
Box stated that she picked up the drugs from drop boxes located in county police stations. These drop boxes serve as a resource for citizens who wish to discard unused or unneeded prescription drugs for the purpose of being destroyed.
Upon further investigation, police learned that between August 16, 2014 and December 16, 2016, Box exploited her position as director of the crime lab to unlawfully remove controlled dangerous substances from secured county facilities for her own personal use. In total, 15,813.5 scheduled and non scheduled pills were found to be in Box’s possession or under her control.
Box pleaded guilty to misconduct in office, possession of a controlled dangerous substance – not marijuana, and theft scheme: less than $1,000 on December 4, 2017. Judge Jaklitsch sentenced her to five years suspend all but six months of active incarceration, the maximum period of incarceration recommended by Maryland State Sentencing Guidelines, and five years of supervised probation upon release.
“I would like to thank Judge Jaklitsch for looking past Ms. Box’s consistent efforts to evade culpability for her systematic abuses, and passing a sentence that holds her accountable,” continued Adams.
Judge Michele D. Jaklitsch presided over the case. Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Steinhardt and Deputy State’s Attorney Claude de Vastey-Jones prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.
Annette Box, 49, of Pasadena
