Former Police Chief Sentenced On Sex Charges
Porcus Ubiquitous
January 23, 2003
A former township police chief accused of forcing a woman to perform a
sex act pleaded no contest Thursday in Medina County Common Pleas
Court to lesser charges.
Former Lafayette Township Police Chief Rick Schmidt faces up to eight
years in prison when he is sentenced on March seventh. Prosecutors
will also seek to have him declared a sexual predator.
The 36-year-old Schmidt was found guilty of sexual battery, gross
sexual imposition, criminal trespass and attempted intimidation of a
witness. Prosecutors dropped a rape charge as part of a plea
agreement.
A woman claimed Schmidt assaulted her when he went to her home in July
to take a report about harassing telephone calls.
Schmidt had been Lafayette's police chief for about two and half
years. He was a patrolman and sergeant for the Lodi police department
for nine years.
Lafayette Township is about 30 miles southwest of Cleveland.
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