Wyoming college candidate Anthony Schmidt steps down after sex offender status is criticized as ‘offensive’

A registered sex offender has withdrawn from the race for school board after negative reactions from the community.

Anthony L. Schmidt, 46, was one of seven candidates for a seat on the board of trustees of Laramie County Community College in Wyoming.

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On Dec. 13, 2002, he was convicted of sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl, according to his registration page with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

After negative reactions from the community and the Republican Party, Schmidt, a Democrat, decided to withdraw from the race.

“Given the misinformation in the Laramie County Republican Party statement and the public comments I have read, I have decided that it is in the best interest of me and my family to withdraw from the race,” Wyoming News reported.

“This decision was not taken lightly. I truly believed I had ideas that could benefit our community, but unfortunately I will not have the opportunity to implement them.

“The misrepresentation of my past – whether it is an error in the LCRP statement or, worse, in the court documents – is simply too significant to overcome. I will continue to live a law-abiding life and ensure that my voice is heard when needed.

“While I will no longer seek political office, I remain committed to driving positive change in our community. I thank my family and friends who have supported my dream from the bottom of my heart.”

The US Sun has reached out to Anthony Schmidt, Laramie County Community College and the Laramie County Democratic Party for comment.

‘STRONGLY CONDEMNS’

The Laramie County Republican Party strongly condemned Schmidt’s candidacy.

“Schmidt’s decision to run for this critical position is a direct affront to the values ​​of our community and raises serious concerns about the safety of our schools and colleges,” the party wrote in a statement on Facebook.

They also wrote that during their investigation into the ex-candidate they had found “disturbing information” that raised concerns.

In their statement, the parties provided detailed information about Schmidt’s 2002 arrest and his subsequent misconduct.

He was arrested and Schmidt admitted to previously having sex with a 14-year-old minor.

Schmidt pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to five years’ probation.

While he was still on probation, however, the Laramie County District Attorney filed a motion to revoke his probation, alleging that Schmidt violated the terms of the probation and solicited sex from a minor.

In 2011, a new petition for revocation of probation was filed due to another alleged violation of the probation rules.

The court decided to revoke Schmidt’s probation and sentence him to four to 10 years in the Wyoming Department of Corrections.

According to his page, he has been registered as a sex offender since 2007.

Laramie Community College also commented on the former candidate.

“LCCC does not determine or control the trustee election process. Therefore, we make no representations regarding the eligibility or status of any candidate,” CBS affiliate KGWN told the outlet.

In Wyoming, a sex offender may be on a college campus, but he or she must notify the school of his or her registration status.

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