JONESBORO, Ark. — A Jonesboro defendant accused of exposing himself and sexually grooming a child has pleaded guilty in Craighead County Circuit Court, according to court records.
Jake Mccane Schmidt, 29, of Jonesboro, entered a plea on March 30, 2026, to sexual indecency with a child and sexually grooming a child. Both charges are Class D felonies.
Schmidt was sentenced to 120 days in the Craighead County Jail, with credit for 120 days already served, and 60 months of probation. County jail time is listed as a condition of probation.
As part of the sentence, Schmidt was also ordered to have no contact with the persons named in the no-contact order and to register and comply with all sex offender registration statutes and requirements, according to court records.
Circuit Judge Chris Thyer presided over the case. Deputy prosecuting attorneys Katherine Calaway-Turner, Jessica Thomason, and Charlene Davidson represented the state. Schmidt was represented by Terry Jones.
The case stemmed from allegations reported to Jonesboro police on July 31, 2025.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the father of the victim went to the Jonesboro Police Department to report the situation. Schmidt was identified in the affidavit as the husband of the victim’s mother. Police said the child was younger than 11.
Forensic investigators interviewed the child on Aug. 8, 2025. The child reported that while living in the home with Schmidt, several incidents occurred.
According to the affidavit, Schmidt was accused of exposing himself, touching the child inappropriately despite protests, offering money to the child to expose, showing her pornographic material, and displaying a sexual device kept in a cooler in the home.
Police also made contact with Schmidt’s wife, who told investigators that “sex toys” were kept in the cooler and said Schmidt had informed her that he had shown them to the juvenile victim, according to the affidavit.
Court records show a second-degree sexual assault charge, which had been added by prosecutors in a March 11 filing, was dropped as part of the plea agreement.
The Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline may be reached by calling 1-800-482-5964.
You can also chat online with crisis support at online.rainn.org.
More resources and information about RAINN can be viewed here.
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