A former Baltimore County police cadet was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday for taking cash and thousands of dollars worth of oxycodone and other drugs from the department's evidence room, according to prosecutors.
Nicholas Michael Ishmael, 21, assigned to the department's evidence management unit, was arrested in June after an investigation found that he had taken more 3,000 pills of oxycodone and other drugs valued between $30,000 and $125,000, the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office said in a statement. When he was stopped by detectives, they also found he had $40,000 cash in a drawstring backpack taken from the evidence room.
Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Robert E. Cahill, Jr. sentenced Ishmael on Wednesday to 20 years, with all but four years suspended, the statement said. He will be on supervised probation upon release from prison.
Ishmael's attorney, Brian G. Thompson, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Previously, Thompson told The Baltimore Sun Ishmael had a "a very significant drug problem" and went to rehab and was taking "full responsibility for his actions."
He pleaded guilty to theft and possession with intent to distribute oxycodone in January.
Police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said cadets are subject to the same drug testing as officers for pre-employment purposes. She said those assigned to Evidence Management are tested more frequently than other agency personnel and are required to undergo mandatory, unannounced testing.
Armacost said Chief James Johnson has decided that cadets will no longer be assigned to the evidence management room.
Ishmael worked in the police department's Evidence Management Unit starting in August of 2013. In May, police began an investigation after oxycodone was reported missing after a detective went to retrieve evidence for a case.
Police identified Ishmael as a suspect through surveillance and a review of work records. They determined he stole evidence from about 15 cases.
During a search of his parents' home in Parkville, police found additional items stolen from the evidence room.
The evidence room, in the basement of the department's Towson headquarters, holds between 180,000 and 200,000 pieces of evidence. After the theft was discovered, the department audited hundreds of thousands of pieces of evidence and planned to review all policies and procedures.
Police said employees are now prohibited from taking bags into the room, and a supervisor must be present for someone to gain access to the vaults containing drugs and guns.
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