RivCo Deputy Arrested On Suspicion Of Illegally Accessing Government Data

MURRIETA, CA — A 41-year-old Riverside County deputy has been arrested and placed on administrative leave after he was accused of tapping into government databases for personal use, authorities said.

Michael Gene Schmidt, of the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station, was arrested in Murrieta on Thursday and is facing four counts of unauthorized computer access, his department said.

Authorities did not disclose any additional information about the databases that may have been illegally accessed.

Schmidt began working for the department in 2008 and had most recently been assigned to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff's Station. While the department investigates Schmidt, he has been placed on administrative leave.

No other details were released.

Anyone with information about this case was urged to call Investigator Andrews at the Lake Mathews Sheriff's Station at 951-272-5600.