A teacher employed by the South Euclid-Lyndhurst School District was arrested Monday, according to the Geauga County Sheriff's Office.
Eric Schmidt was arrested in Seven Hills and charged with illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a second-degree felony, the sheriff's office said.
Schmidt was taken into custody without incident after an investigation into allegations involving inappropriate actions with a minor, the sheriff's office said.
Tuesday morning, Schmidt was arraigned in Chardon Municipal Court and is being held on a $20,000 bond, the sheriff's office said.
If convicted, Schmidt could face up to eight years in prison and be required to register as a sex offender on the national sex offender registry, the sheriff's office said.
The following message was sent to staff and families of South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools regarding the incident:
"The district was made aware of a serious legal charge brought against a member of the South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools staff. Upon learning of the charge, the staff member was placed on leave, in accordance with standard procedure, to allow the investigation to proceed while respecting the individual’s right to due process.Law enforcement has informed us that the alleged victim is not a student at South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools.While we recognize that families will likely have questions, the district is unable to provide additional details at this time regarding pending legal or personnel matters.The South Euclid-Lyndhurst Schools is committed to providing a safe learning environment and will continue to cooperate with this investigation."
Information is limited due to the nature of the investigation, the sheriff's office said, and anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office at (440) 286-1234.
