Anna Budinger was a custodian at Kaimuki High School when she arrested more than two years ago with more than 1/8th of an ounce of crystal methamphetamine, or ice.
She pleaded guilty to drug charges.In court on Friday, she again admitted that guilt.
"I made a mistake. I crossed a boundary. I know I need to go into treatment," she told the judge.Prosecutors wanted Budinger sentenced to 10 years behind bars because she was a school staff member when she was arrested.Her defense attorney asked for probation, because Budinger had no prior convictions and did not sell drugs to students."The issue was how far away in her car she was located, but it doesn't involve schoolchildren at all," attorney Johnaaron Jones said.However, Budinger admitted to Circuit Court Judge Michael Town that she was still using ice and that the drug would show up if she were tested.Town criticized Budinger for failing to enter a drug treatment program while awaiting sentencing.He sentenced her to one year in prison, but suspended all but 180 days of the prison term. Budinger must also serve five years probation drug free or face additional jail time.
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