California Ex-Teacher to Serve 14 Years for Attempting to Entice 8-Year-Old Girl into Sex

OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, ERIC JOSEPH SCHWARTZ, 50, of North Hollywood, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Tim Leonard to serve 168 months in federal prison for attempting to entice an 8-year-old girl into sexual activity, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

According to the court documents, Schwartz, a former high school English teacher in Sherman Oaks, California, became acquainted with an Oklahoma City-area woman in February 2010 through a social networking website for individuals who are interested in unusual sexual experiences. Schwartz, using the screen name “SirTabu,” made contact with the woman, who said she had an 8-year-old daughter. Schwartz and the woman began corresponding via instant messenger and telephone, and Schwartz made plans to travel to Oklahoma City to engage in sexual activity with the girl. Schwartz was unaware the woman was cooperating with the FBI, recording communications with him, and the 8-year-old girl did not exist. On March 29, 2010, Schwartz flew by airplane to Oklahoma City where the FBI arrested him upon his arrival at Will Rogers World Airport. Schwartz pled guilty on May 6, 2010. 

Following Schwartz’s 168-month prison term, Judge Leonard ordered that he serve the remainder of his life on supervised release and register as a sex offender.

This case is a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Hale.