Rhinelander man arrested for child sex assault, pointing gun at victim

A Rhinelander man was arrested on Oct. 17 on charges of soliciting intimate representation of a minor, second degree sexual assault of a child under 16 years old, repeated second degree sexual assault of the same child and 1st degree recklessly endangering safety.

Sawyer Schmidt, 19, is formally being charged in Oneida County court with second degree sexual assault, intentionally pointing a firearm at a person and felony bail jumping, according to court records. 

According to a supplemental report by investigators with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, multiple interviews were conducted with individuals whose names were retracted. 

One of the individuals who spoke with investigators indicated they had been in a relationship with Schmidt. Another individual described that relationship as being “toxic” and Schmidt being “manipulative.”

The individual Schmidt allegedly had a relationship with said they met Schmidt in September of 2024. Schmidt was 18 at the time. 

In March of 2025, the report states the two had intercourse in Schmidt’s bedroom and Schmidt “did not use force.”

According to the report, when Schmidt picked the individual up and they were going to where he lived, he “pulled out a gun (9mm) from the center console” and indicated to the individual if they told anyone about their relationship, he would “kill” them. The gun, the individual said, was pointed at them at one point by Schmidt. 

Then, in late July of 2025, according to the report, the two were in the driveway of where the individual lived in Schmidt’s truck, where the two engaged in sexual intercourse. The report notes “there was not any force or threats at that time.”

The individual, the report continues, said they remembered before that, that they saw Schmidt shooting the handgun in his backyard. 

The individual then explained to investigators how Schmidt would act when he would become frustrated and angry with them. He would “grab” their “arms and would scream” in their face.

Schmidt, according to the individual, would get mad when they would wear certain clothes and Schmidt wouldn’t want them wearing shorts or tank tops in the summer.

On prom night in April of 2025, the report explains the individual said they had intercourse again with Schmidt in the upstairs of residence where there were many people downstairs and alcohol was involved. The individual told investigators “everyone had been drinking except” Schmidt and they weren’t sure if protection had been used that time. The individual said they were “not fully there, but alert,” as they had drunk two beers and three seltzers. 

July of 2025 was the last time the individual saw Schmidt in person, according to the report. 

The individual said they ended the relationship with Schmidt while out-of-state. Schmidt didn’t want the relationship to end, the individual said to investigators, but they told him they didn’t want to speak with him again and he treated them “badly, was controlling and threatening.”

The individual, according to the report, said they blocked Schmidt on social media accounts. They also told investigators there were nude images exchanged between the two during the relationship, some of which were saved by Schmidt. 

Schmidt was taken into custody by law enforcement on Oct. 17 while working on a job site in the town of Stella. 

After contacting an Oneida County judge, law enforcement were advised to hold Schmidt until his court appearance on Oct. 20. 

Oneida County judge Michael Schiek, who recused himself from the case due to him knowing the victim, set a $25,000 cash bond for Schmidt at the initial Oct. 20 court appearance with the conditions of no contact with a specific individual,  no contact with anyone under the age of 18, not allowed to leave the state and not to be in possession of any firearms.

Additionally, Schmidt is involved in another Oneida County court case where, in January of last year, a complaint was filed against him for causing mental harm to a child, child abuse-intentionally causing harm and battery. Though it’s still listed as an open case, which Schiek recused himself from as well, Schmidt was sentenced on Sept. 25, 2024, to serve one year probation and parole, have a psychosexual evaluation conducted, no contact with that victim who wasn’t identified, a DNA sample being taken, fines, forfeitures and court costs to be paid and any other conditions deemed appropriate by Schmidt’s probation officer.

If convicted for the most recent charges, Schmidt faces a combined max of 46 years in prison and extended supervision, and fines up to $110,000 for the two felony counts. For the misdemeanor count, he faces a max of nine months in jail and fines up to $10,000. 

Trevor Greene may be reached via email at [email protected].