Charles M. Schmaltz, 28, of Pensacola, Florida, has pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and sending obscene materials to minor females. The announcement was made by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, who highlighted the gravity of the crime and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable youth.
“Protecting children from online exploitation and abuse is of paramount importance,” said U.S. Attorney Heekin. “My message to offenders is clear: if you prey upon our children, you had better pray we don’t find you.”
A Two-Year Campaign of Online Harassment and Cyberstalking
According to court documents, Schmaltz engaged in a disturbing pattern of behavior from 2022 to 2024, using more than ten different social media accounts to contact multiple minor females. Despite repeated pleas from the girls and their parents for him to stop, Schmaltz persisted.
His actions included sending sexually explicit messages and graphic images, including photos of his genitals. Some of these communications involved detailed and obscene descriptions of sexual acts he intended to perform with the victims. The girls he targeted were between the ages of 9 and 15.
Schmaltz was ultimately identified and apprehended through a coordinated investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Dale County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dothan Police Department in South Alabama, where some of the victims resided.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg. Schmaltz faces up to 30 years in federal prison and lifetime supervision upon release. His sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola before District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
Brought Under Project Safe Childhood
This prosecution was carried out under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006. The project aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by bringing together federal, state, and local agencies. Under this program, cases like Schmaltz’s are thoroughly investigated and aggressively prosecuted to ensure child predators are held accountable.
While Schmaltz’s case is particularly heinous, it is far from isolated. Cyberstalking has become an urgent concern for law enforcement and child safety advocates. According to The Impact of Cyberstalking: Review and Analysis of the ECHO Pilot Project, led by Professor Carsten Maple of the University of Bedfordshire’s National Centre for Cyberstalking Research, cyberstalking represents a technologically adapted form of psychological abuse that can occur across various digital platforms and time zones, making it harder for victims to find peace or escape.
The study found that cyberstalking often involves identity theft, impersonation, malicious websites, and threats extended to victims’ families and friends, creating an omnipresent sense of fear. The psychological impact is severe: over 32% of victims develop PTSD, a rate comparable to sexual assault survivors.
Challenges in Detection and Justice
A major hurdle in combating cyberstalking is the “attribution problem”, the difficulty of proving who is responsible, particularly when offenders hide behind anonymous profiles, VPNs, or public devices. This is compounded by the normalization of intrusive behavior online. Many users, particularly youth, may overlook warning signs or hesitate to report harassment due to shame or mistrust of authorities.
Studies show that many victims first encounter their harassers in real life, disproving the myth that cyberstalking is always initiated by strangers. In Schmaltz’s case, however, the interactions began online, and his digital persona became a tool for escalating abuse.
Youth at Higher Risk
Research by Wendy A. Walsh, David Finkelhor, and Heather Turner shows that half of the surveyed individuals aged 18–28 experienced cyberstalking first as minors. Juvenile victims faced more violent threats, often from multiple perpetrators, and were less likely to report abuse.
Children and teens are particularly vulnerable due to their emotional immaturity, lack of experience in navigating relationships, and dependence on digital communication. This makes enforcement and early education even more critical.
Cyberstalking frequently overlaps with other technology-facilitated abuses (TFA) such as sextortion, cyberbullying, and non-consensual image sharing. While cyberbullying often involves social ridicule and power dynamics, cyberstalking is characterized by persistent pursuit and fear induction, often from someone known to the victim.
Motivations range from romantic obsession and personal grudges to prejudice and mental instability. In Schmaltz’s case, his relentless pursuit of underage girls and sexually explicit communications exemplify how cyberstalking can rapidly escalate into a federal crime of sexual exploitation.
