CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A man running for a county school board is a registered sex offender in the state of Wyoming.
On Tuesday, Cap City News confirmed that Anthony L. Schmidt, one of the seven candidates running for a position on the Laramie County Community College Board of Trustees, is listed on the sex offender registry with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Schmidt’s address on the state registry matches the one listed on the county clerk’s candidate list.
Schmidt, 46, was convicted on Dec. 13, 2002, for sexual exploitation of a child, per his registration page. He officially registered on the list July 6, 2007. The candidate holds a lifetime registration on the list.
Cap City News reached out for comment from Schmidt, who confirmed his status as a sex offender.
“I am in fact a registered sex offender. I have owned up for and paid my debit to the state for the horrible choices that I had made 22 years ago,” Schmidt stated via email. “I have served my sentence and have done what is required of me to pay my debt to the state. I know several people will only look [at] this part of my past and not [at] who I am today. I do not blame anyone but myself for those actions and have no excuse for them. All I can do is move forward and serve our community to the best of my ability. I understand that some are skeptical of my motivations for seeking public office and justifiably so. All I can do is show our community that people can grow and learn from the choices from their past and return to a regular law-abiding life. I will always regret and remember my past. I have learned what I must do to stay a law-abiding part of this community.”
Cap City News has requested further court documentation from the Laramie County District Court regarding Schmidt’s criminal history. Further reporting on additional details will be done as they become available.
