Meet Steve Maxwell

Family & Personal

Steve was born into a family committed to military service; four generations of Maxwell men served in the US Navy – until Steve, who joined the Army, not as an act of independence but due to sea sickness!

Steve was raised by a single Mom who taught her children that there is no shame in owning your story, that "poor" is not a definition of who you are, that you should “Never let someone else direct your destiny," and she also taught him the values of hard work and ambition when, in the 70’s, she left her factory job to start her own business.

Steve’s love of Spotsylvania County dates back to his first visit to the area in the 1980s. As a huge history buff, Spotsylvania's rich history immediately attracted him as did its size, rural spaces, and friendly people, which have a lot in common with his Ohio roots; he immediately felt at home.

Today he is living that dream to live here in Spotsylvania where he and his wife reside with their four dogs and frequently welcome their blended family of sons, daughters and grandchildren.

His commitment to making Spotsylvania County, his chosen home, a great place to live drives him to run for Sheriff.

Career & Qualifications

Steve’s path to law enforcement was not a straight line.

Funding college was a challenge. In 1983, he left school to join the Muskingum County, Ohio, Sheriff’s office. He enjoyed the Sheriff’s office but his dream at the time was to join the FBI, something that was hindered by his lack of a college degree.

For Steve, this was not a closed door, but a challenge. He joined the Army where he honed his law enforcement skills and knowledge as well as prepared himself for a career in law enforcement by serving in the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) as a narcotic investigator. Steve is a combat veteran who was deployed during Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield and is a qualified expert in multiple weapon systems and trained in the use and detection of numerous explosive devices.

Steve has served in several Sheriff’s Offices in Ohio in progressively more senior roles. He also created and ran Maxwell Investigations and Security – a firm that provided investigative support to court systems, public defenders offices and others as well as security to Fortune 500 firms.

More than 45 years later, 35 of which have been dedicated to law enforcement, Steve is ready to put his dedication to service, empathy for everyone he meets and wealth of experience to work for Spotsylvania County as its Sheriff.

As an independent candidate, Steve offers a unique blend of military, local and federal law enforcement experience as well as entrepreneurial and business know how.

His broad knowledge of law enforcement challenges and trends would serve everyone in Spotsylvania County today and, as it grows, in the future.