Reno Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse, Sentenced to Over 1,000 Years in Prison

On Monday, January 27th, Montana Lee Schneider, 40, pleaded guilty before a jury to 81 counts of child sexual abuse, possession of child pornography, and producing child pornography, according to First Assistant District Attorney Benjamin I. Kaminar. After hearing punishment evidence, the jury returned life sentences on two first degree felony counts and sentences totaling 910 years on the other 79 counts. The jury also assessed the maximum fine of $10,000 on each count.

The jury heard the victim, a relative of Schneider, tearfully describe how he had sexually abused her over the course of years, beginning with showering with her and progressing to rape on a nearly daily basis. Schneider recorded and photographed himself in the act of raping the victim and threatened to send photos of her to friends and family members if she disclosed the abuse. The jury also heard expert testimony from Lindsey Severson, a therapist at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Paris. Severson described the process that abusers use to gain access to children, build trust with them and their families, and then conceal the abuse, often through threats and manipulation. She also described the process of treating the victim for post-traumatic stress and the lifelong mental and physical impacts sexual abuse has on children. When the prosecution showed a portion of one of Schneider’s videos, his attorney had to elbow Schneider to make him stop watching it.

“The jurors heard evidence not only from the victim and her therapist, but they heard evil itself when the defendant testified in his own defense,” said Kaminar. “Schneider told the jury that what he had done wasn’t rape, but what the victim wanted. He claimed that because boys at school might want to take pictures of her, it was in her best interest that he abuses her instead.” After the jury returned its punishment verdict, Judge Wes Tidwell ordered the sentences to run consecutively, resulting in a life sentence, followed by 910 years, followed by another life sentence. Judge Tidwell also entered a lifetime protective order against Schneider. He will be eligible for parole after serving at least 200 years and will have to register as a sex offender for life if he somehow lives that long.

Lamar County District Attorney Gary Young said, “We appreciate the jury’s hard work in this case. They were presented with difficult evidence to review but they sent a powerful message that our community has zero tolerance or sympathy for those who harm our children.”

The case was tried in the 6th District Court before Judge Wes Tidwell. King was prosecuted by Benjamin Kaminar and Erin Lewis; Clay Johnson of Sulphur Springs was court ordered to represent Schneider