Editor’s Note: This story includes disturbing allegations of sexual crimes against very young children. Cowboy State Daily has been intentionally vague reporting some details of the case to protect potential victims and their families. Read at your discretion.
A 25-year-old Casper man arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse and child pornography activity is accused of bragging about sex acts with very young children and inviting other men to participate in the abuse via online chat.
Christopher J. Schmidt made his initial appearance in Casper Circuit Court on Wednesday via video from the Natrona Count Detention Center to hear the 10 felony charges against him.
They include first- and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, first-degree solicitating of sexual abuse of a minor and sexual exploitation of children.
As Judge Brian Christensen read the charges against Schmidt and the penalties involved, he paused to asked Schmidt if he understood them. Schmidt looked into the video screen and calmly replied he did.
When asked if he would need a public defender, he replied that he would.
An affidavit of probable cause filed in Casper Circuit Court shows the charges stem from a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation probe that began with a May 9 FBI assistance request involving Schmidt and an anonymous complaint sent to the FBI’s National Threat Information Center.
The tipster alleged that Schmidt had offered to send the tipster child pornography images.
Subsequent investigation found files that tracked back to Schmidt’s residential address that include video clips and photographs depicting sex acts with prepubescent females.
Investigators also found electronic chats Schmidt allegedly had with other men discussing various alleged acts with underage children.
A DCI search of past cyber tips allegedly connected to Schmidt’s online profile included five files from 2022 that showed images of child pornography, the affidavit states.
Graphic Chats
The affidavit, which has been redacted to protect the identities of some people and victims, details several chat conversations Schmidt allegedly had that included words and phrases known to “advertise” underage sex and child pornography.
Schmidt allegedly uses several of these indicators in his chats, including referencing sexual contact with an infant less than a year old. In some of the exchanges, his descriptions of the acts are braggadocious.
In executing a search warrant, the affidavit says: “Numerous chats were recovered which indicated (Schmidt) had a sexual interest in children and that a potential sexual assault of a child had occurred. The chats took place throughout April and May 2024.”
In one May 2 exchange, Schmidt allegedly seems excited about the potential to have contact with a very young child, but the age of the potential victim didn’t sit well with the other person, the affidavit says. Undeterred, Schmidt presses on that he wanted to do something “rn” — which stands for “right now” — and that, “I’m horny (emojis displaying three hot/sweating faces with the tongue out).”
In another conversation from May 7, Schmidt allegedly tells the person he’s chatting with that “I do cp,” a reference to child pornography, according to the affidavit. He then describes in graphic detail an alleged sexual assault on a very young child.
In all, investigators cited six conversations about underage sexual contact and child pornography Schmidt allegedly had in May and April, the affidavit says.
The ‘Rabbit Hole’
On May 13, documents show that special agents interviewed Schmidt and he admitted to seeing his first images of child pornography at age 16 and regularly viewing pornography before going down the “rabbit hole.”
The affidavit states he admitted to viewing and distributing files of child pornography and that recently “his interest in child pornography had become worse.”
He reportedly admitted to offering a child for sex to another social media application user and to sending photos of his private parts to other users.
The affidavit states he allegedly admitted to taking photos of a child that were pornographic, and he also admitted to sexual acts with a child in 2023, taking images of the acts and distributing them.
Charges
- The charge of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree carries a prison term of not less than 25 years in prison and not more than 50 years and a fine of up to $10,000 or both. The charge alleges an incident of sexual intrusion on a minor between Aug. 1-31, 2023, in Natrona County.
- His two second-degree sexual abuse of a minor charges carry an up-to 20-year prison term and fine of up to $10,000 or both for each. The counts allege sexual contact with a minor victim from Aug. 1-31, 2023.
- The charge of solicitation of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree involves offering a child for sexual abuse in the first degree, but the act was not attempted or committed by other persons. The alleged date of the offense was between April 1 and May 15, 2024. The charge carries a penalty of not less than 25 years in prison and up to 50 years as well as a find of not more than $10,000 or both.
- He also faces another charge that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and an up to $5,000 fine or both. The charge involves alleged acts between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2023.
- The five counts of sexual exploitation of children involved alleged acts of possessing, distributing, manufacturing, generating or receiving child pornography with the intent to deliver it through digital means. The charges cover a period from July 1, 2022, through May 15, 2024. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and up to $10,000 fine or both.
Judge Christensen set Schmidt’s bond at $250,000 cash.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com and Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
