Andrea Grajeda
Greeley Tribune, Colo.
GREELEY, Colo. — A former Greeley worker was sentenced to 14 years in jail for stealing arduous drives containing youngster sexual abuse materials whereas he was working for the town’s info know-how division.
Jacob Schmidt, 36, was sentenced to 14 years within the Colorado Department of Corrections by Weld County Judge Annette Kundelius throughout a Wednesday sentencing listening to.
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He pleaded responsible to 2 counts of sexual exploitation of kid movies — excessive danger, as a part of a March plea settlement. Six prices of sexual exploitation of kid movies — excessive danger and three prices of kid sexual exploitation — induce or entice had been dismissed as a part of the plea deal, in accordance with Colorado court docket information.
He was additionally sentenced to pay over $4,000 in court docket charges and prices and can serve at the very least three years of parole after getting out of jail. He may also should register as a intercourse offender when he will get out.
Schmidt is now not employed by the town, in accordance with Greeley Public Information Officer Kim Kappel .
Kundelius mentioned in the course of the listening to that Schmidt’s crime was distinctive, however not victimless. While he didn’t bodily harm anybody, Kundelius mentioned he has harmed the neighborhood’s belief in police and the prison justice system. When folks go to police to report youngster sexual abuse movies, Kundelius mentioned they’re trusting police with one thing very private and intimate and Schmidt has violated that belief by taking that delicate info for his personal use.
“You need substantial treatment, not something you do for a few years and get through,” Kundelius mentioned.
Schmidt believes his actions had been victimless as a result of, in accordance with his pre-sentence investigation, nobody was bodily harm, Deputy District Attorney Arynn Clark mentioned. But Clark and Kundelius identified the kid sexual abuse materials movies he took had been of actual folks.
Schmidt mentioned he understands he has points, and plans to deal with them whereas in jail.
“I strongly apologize for my mistakes, and I intend to correct them,” Schmidt mentioned.
Schmidt’s protection legal professional Makayla Gallegos mentioned Schmidt has repeatedly mentioned he plans to hunt remedy whereas in jail, and although he might wrestle to see how his actions weren’t victimless, he does perceive the gravity of the crime.
Schmidt was arrested June 11, 2025, after Weld County Sheriff’s Office deputies began getting a number of tips on Schmidt importing youngster sexual abuse materials movies to his telephone in February 2025. During an interview on the sheriff’s workplace, Schmidt instructed deputies he did watch the kid sexual abuse materials movies as a result of he has a pornography dependancy that lead down “dark rabbit holes”, in accordance with his arrest affidavit. He instructed deputies he would take arduous drives from the Greeley Police Department with out permission, in accordance with the affidavit, however wasn’t at all times positive in the event that they contained youngster sexual abuse materials.
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