Two-time Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Pornography Charge

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PETER LYNN SCHUETT, 54, of Manchester, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2013, the Connecticut State Police, Manchester Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations executed an arrest warrant on SCHUETT for violation of Connecticut’s state sex offender registry law.  Prior to execution of the warrant, SCHUETT consented to a search of his mobile phone, which revealed that he had received and distributed images and videos of child pornography.

Subsequent forensic analysis of SCHUETT’s phone and email accounts has revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.  The images and videos contained depictions of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, as well as material depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.  The investigation revealed that SCHUETT also engaged in sadistic and masochistic chats with other individuals that advocated graphic violence against children.

SCHUETT has previous convictions in Texas in 2000 for possession of child pornography, and in Connecticut in 2008 for importing child pornography and promotion of a minor in an obscene performance.

Judge Arterton has scheduled sentencing for October 1, 2013, at which time SCHUETT faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.  The penalties in this case are enhanced because of SCHUETT’s criminal history.

SCHUETT has been detained since his arrest on February 1, 2013.

This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Connecticut State Police and the Manchester Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov