TOLEDO, OHIO – A former manslaughter convict from Toledo, Ohio, Richard Schmidt, 47, now faces a litany of federal charges after authorities uncovered an arsenal of weapons and ammunition in his possession.
The revelations come after a December arrest following searches of Schmidt’s home and business. Despite a previous conviction for manslaughter in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Schmidt was prohibited from owning firearms, ammunition, or body armor.
According to Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office, Schmidt’s arsenal included 18 firearms, some of which were assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, over 40,000 rounds of ammunition, and a bulletproof vest stored in a locked room at a mall.
“It is deeply troubling that law enforcement found this man, with a prior homicide conviction, in possession of an arsenal,” Dettelbach stated. “We owe the FBI and our other law enforcement partners our thanks for catching this man before anyone was hurt.”
Anthony added, “Richard Schmidt is not only accused of trafficking in counterfeit goods but also of being a felon in possession of a significant quantity of firearms and ammunition.” The case includes charges that Schmidt trafficked in counterfeit goods with logos and brand-name markings from the National Football League, Nike, Reebok, and Louis Vuitton.
Investigators recovered seven high-capacity magazines during the search of Schmidt’s property. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has filed 176 indictments for violations of federal firearms laws, with an average sentence of over six years in prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan T. Brown and Linda H. Barr are prosecuting the case following an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.
Should Schmidt be convicted, his sentence will be determined by the court after a review of unique factors pertaining to this case, including his prior criminal records and role in the offenses. Sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum, and most sentences will be less than the maximum.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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