A former Anne Arundel County, Maryland, police officer pleaded guilty to stealing guns and jewelry from a dead person’s home last year.
Jacob Miskill, 27, of Linthicum Heights, pleaded guilty to one count of felony theft and one count of misconduct in office.
He was sentenced to 15 years; 10 years for felony theft and five years consecutive for misconduct in office, according to Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. However, most of the sentence was suspended. He’ll see 18 months of active incarceration at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center.
Miskill will be required to pay $2,000 in restitution and serve five years of probation as well.
He was one several Anne Arundel County Police officers who had investigated a report of an unattended death in the 1600 block of Wall Drive in Pasadena on April 27, 2020.
According to the state’s attorney’s office, a witness stated that on the following day, he was contacted by Miskill who wanted to retrieve firearms located in the residence for safe keeping.
The witness said the dead person’s home had numerous firearms inside the residence and they were scattered throughout the house.
The witness said he believed that Miskill was returning to the residence to submit the property to the police department and assisted in helping Miskill load the firearms into his marked patrol SUV.
Miskill was in uniform at the time and the witness stated he did not receive a property sheet documenting the firearms taken.
Anne Arundel County Police Department personnel said they were contacted by the attorney of the deceased person’s sister on July 30, who said she spoke with Miskill and met with him and during that time he returned one gun. She noted that other guns were missing from her late brother’s home, as well as jewelry and cash.
“It’s truly unsettling that Miskill used his access to the deceased victim’s home to steal property. It was an abuse of power for which he is held accountable,” said State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “This sentence is a clear reminder that no one is above the law.”
Investigators retrieved a total of 19 firearms from Miskill’s residence which included handguns and rifles. The investigation also revealed that before the victim’s death, the witness observed cash, a Rolex watch, a bracelet and assorted jewelry inside a safe located in the residence.
Upon returning to the residence with the victim’s sister, they discovered the safes empty. The witness said he believed Miskill returned to the victim’s residence to steal the items on his own. All the victim’s jewelry and guns were ultimately returned or located, according to authorities.
