Sheriff’s Investigators arrested an Oceano man who was also a San Luis Obispo County employee, on suspicion of possessing child pornography, a Sheriff’s spokesman said.
According to a news release, dated March 6, on Feb. 17 the department received a report of suspected child sexual abuse material, said Spokesman Tony Cipolla.
The ensuing investigation identified a suspect, Michael Schmidt, 46 of Oceano, who they learned is also an employee of SLO County in its IT Department.
On March 5, investigators along with the Fresno County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, served a search warrant on Schmidt’s home.
“Schmidt was taken into custody without incident,” Cipolla said. He was charged with suspicion of possession of child sexual abuse material.
But the revelations didn’t end there. “During the investigation,” Cipolla said, “investigators discovered Schmidt was also a local Cub Scout leader in the Five Cities Area.”
A check of the jail information on March 6 listed Schmidt as still in custody and Cipolla said Schmidt was being held without bail.
The department is asking anyone with additional information to contact the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division at 805-781-4500 or Crimestoppers at 805-549-7867.
