Former Laurel Policeman Found Guilty of Child Sex Abuse

A North Laurel man who is a former city police officer is facing up to 25 years in prison after a Howard County Circuit Court Judge found him guilty of sexually abusing his girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter, reports The Gazette.

Judge Diane Leasure ruled Friday that Edward Charles Schmitt, 38, was guilty of sexual abuse of a minor on the basis of exploitation for secretly recording his then-live-in girlfriend's daughter changing her clothes.

The abuse took place between August 2009 and February 2010 while Schmitt was serving with the Laurel Police Department.  He was initially suspended from duty and then resigned.

Schmitt, who is also scheduled to stand trial April 25 on unrelated federal child pornography charges, was released to the custody of his father, where he has been under 24-hour federal electronic surveillance since Dec. 7, 2010.