A federal grand jury has indicted David Alain Schmidt, a 43-year-old resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, on charges related to the production and possession of child sexual abuse material. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Phil Selden, alongside Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore and Chief Marc R. Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department.
The indictment alleges that in October 2024, Schmidt enticed a minor to produce child sexual abuse material and was found in possession of sexually explicit images involving a minor victim.
If convicted, Schmidt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material and up to 10 years for possession. However, actual sentences are often less than the maximum penalties due to considerations made by a federal district court judge based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
It is important to note that an indictment is not a determination of guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty through legal proceedings.
Acting U.S. Attorney Selden acknowledged the efforts of HSI and the Montgomery County Police Department in their investigation. He also expressed gratitude towards Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy for her role in prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. This project brings together resources from various levels of government to prosecute offenders and protect victims.
Additionally, Know2Protect is highlighted as a national public awareness campaign by the Department of Homeland Security designed to educate communities about preventing online child sexual exploitation and offering support resources for victims.
For further details about Project Safe Childhood or Know2Protect campaigns, individuals can visit their respective websites provided by justice.gov and dhs.gov.