DALLASTOWN — A 54-year-old Dallastown man is facing simple assault and harassment charges stemming from a confrontation he had with his wife, whom police say confronted him over a cache of child pornography she discovered in their home.
Robert Fritz Schmitz, of the 100 block of South Walnut Street, was also charged with possession of child pornography after police conducted a forensic investigation of his computer, according to Dallastown Police.
The incident happened on June 11, police say. Officers were summoned to Schmitz’s home for the report of a domestic incident. When police arrived, they met Schmitz’s wife, who said she called 911 after a verbal argument she’d been having with her husband all day turned physical.
According to police, the victim said she discovered a large file containing child pornography hidden underneath a floor board in an upstairs room at her home. When she confronted Schmitz about it, he told her he thought he’d thrown the files away years ago, police say. The victim expressed concern to police over the fact that she and her husband had several grandchildren who visited the home.
After the initial confrontation, the victim said, Schmitz took the photos outside and burned them. He and the victim later began arguing again in a room above the garage, which had been converted into an office. When the victim threw Schmitz’s computer to the ground, she told police, Schmitz began punching her in the face and arms and later pushed her to the ground. The victim sustained a swollen and bloody lower lip and a large bruise on her left hand, police say.
Schmitz left the residence before police arrived, according to the criminal complaint.
Police obtained a search warrant for Schmitz’s computer, and a forensic exam uncovered a photo of two Asian girls, ages approximately 8 to 10, engaging in a sex act, leading to the additional child pornography charge against Schmitz.
