Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Charles M. Schmaltz, a 29-year-old resident of Pensacola, Florida, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for cyberstalking and sending obscene materials to minor females. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Our children face unprecedented threats online from predators, like this defendant, but this case demonstrates the unified commitment of our state and federal law enforcement officers to keep them safe by capturing the offenders who try to exploit them. My office will continue to back up those excellent investigative efforts by law enforcement with successful prosecutions to send those offenders to federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Heekin.
According to court documents, Schmaltz used more than ten social media accounts between 2022 and 2024 to contact multiple minor females. Despite repeated requests from both the minors and their parents for him to stop communicating with them, he continued sending sexually explicit content, including graphic messages. The victims ranged in age from nine to fifteen years old. Authorities were able to apprehend Schmaltz following a multi-agency investigation involving North Florida and South Alabama law enforcement agencies.
After completing his prison sentence, Schmaltz will be under supervised release for five years and must participate in sexual offender treatment programs. He also faces additional state charges in Alabama.
The investigation involved collaboration among the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Dale County Sheriff’s Office, and Dothan Police Department in South Alabama. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 that brings together federal, state, and local resources to address child sexual exploitation on the Internet and assist victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices serving as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. Public court documents are available through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website, and further details about the office can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
