A former Laurel city police officer was sentenced to four years Monday, Aug. 1, for secretly videotaping his girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter undressing.
Howard County Circuit Court Judge Diane O. Leasure found 38-year-old North Laurel resident Edward Charles Schmitt guilty of child sex abuse in March, ruling that although Schmitt did not touch the girl sexually, his actions exploited her.
Schmitt has admitted to hiding a small camera in the closet of his live-in girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter in February 2010, masturbating in view of the camera and then leaving the camera in the closet to capture the girl dressing after a shower.
In federal court on June 14, Schmitt also admitted to receiving child pornography. He will serve seven years in federal prison due to a plea agreement with federal authorities. The four-year sentence Schmitt was given Aug. 1 will be served concurrently to his federal sentence.
"One of the hardest parts of this case is that Mr. Schmitt had sworn an oath ... to protect citizens from crimes such as this," Howard County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Hammond said.
Schmitt was suspended from the Laurel Police Department, where he worked for 11 years, as soon as authorities learned of the accusations in February 2010. He resigned in August 2010.
Hammond read from a victim-impact statement the teenager wrote.
"My trust in people, especially men, has been altered," the girl wrote. "I trusted him to always protect me as a father would, especially with him being a police officer."
The girl wrote that the "painful and traumatizing" experience had put her in a state of "depression."
"It sent her world into a tailspin," Hammond said.
Schmitt's defense attorney, James Papirmeister, said his client understands his actions were inappropriate and is genuinely remorseful. However, Papirmeister contended — as he did in the March trial — that Schmitt's actions did not constitute sexual child abuse.
He said Schmitt never "groomed" or touched his victim, something he feels is necessary for a sex abuse case.
"He is not a predator," Papirmeister said. "He certainly has a paraphiliac, inappropriate interest."
Papirmeister said Schmitt used his "sexual preoccupation" as "one way of dealing with" his "demanding" career as a police officer.
He said Schmitt is "a man who is actually very caring, a wonderful father" to his 13-year-old daughter. He also said Schmitt "is in the lowest risk category for recidivism."
As a part of his federal sentence, Schmitt must register as a sex offender and attend lifetime probationary meetings.
"He is really going to be punished here," Papirmeister said. "This is severe. He's lost his dignity, respect, income — his whole career."