A Cub Scout leader and San Luis Obispo County Health Department employee is out on bail after pleading not guilty to child pornography-related charges.
Michael Schmidt, 46, entered the plea in a San Luis Obispo courtroom on Monday to the two felony charges he’s facing of possession of matter depicting a minor engaging in sexual conduct.
The criminal complaint alleges Schmidt had more than 600 images of child pornography.
According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, he was taken into custody on Thursday after investigators served a search warrant at his Oceano home.
Sheriff's officials say their investigation began in mid-February after receiving a report of suspected child sexual abuse material.
In response to questions about Schmidt’s release from custody, the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office says Schmidt was initially being held without bail following his arrest.
The DA’s Office tells KSBY it argued during Monday’s hearing that bail should not be an option, “based on the significant number of child pornography photos and that Mr. Schmidt was in a position where he was consistently in the presence of children and thus was a significant public safety risk.”
However, the DA’s Office states Judge Katherine Swysen disagreed, ruling to reduce Schmidt’s bail because he “was not a public safety concern as there is no allegation that he actually interacted with a child in an inappropriate way, only that he possessed child pornography.”
The terms of bail reportedly include supervision by the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department, having no contact with and not coming within 50 yards of anyone under the age of 18, staying 100 yards away from a specific home in Oceano and living at another, having no contact with his wife and child, submitting to searches of himself and his property or electronics by law enforcement, and not breaking the law.
He was not in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, jail records showed.
According to the sheriff’s office, Schmidt was an employee in the IT department for the San Luis Obispo County Health Department at the time of his arrest. A representative from County Health told KSBY in a statement late last week that they were “aware of the arrest and are cooperating fully with law enforcement.”
The sheriff’s office said Schmidt is also a Cub Scout leader in the Five Cities area.
Representatives from Scouting America told KSBY News they were unable to comment on the incident involving Schmidt, and when calling a local pack, KSBY was told they could not confirm or deny Schmidt’s involvement.
The sheriff's office was asking anyone with additional information about this case to contact detectives at (805) 781-4500 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP.
Schmidt is due back in court Thursday and has a preliminary hearing date currently set for Tuesday, March 17.
KSBY reached out to his attorney listed in court records, but has not yet heard back.
