Sex exploitation trial for Anamosa teacher ends in mistrial

ANAMOSA - The trial for an Anamosa middle school teacher accused of inappropriate contact with a female student ended in a mistrial last Thursday when a police officer testified about the charge, indicating the penalty of crime, which isn't allowed into evidence.

Eric Schulz, 42, is charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee, an aggravated misdemeanor, in February. His trial was in its third day when the prosecution's final witness, Anamosa police officer Amy Ford, told the jury the charge was an aggravated misdemeanor, according to court records.

Al Willett, Schulz's lawyer, and Sixth Judicial District Judge Ian Thornhill said Ford's answer went beyond what Jones County Attorney Phil Parsons asked.

Thornhill said any possible remedy, such as instructing the jury to disregard the information, likely would only highlight that the charge is an aggravated misdemeanor, which carries up to two years in jail, according to the Anamosa Journal-Eureka.

Parsons said the trial would be reset, according to the Journal-Eureka.

A female accused Schulz of making inappropriate sexual contact with her when she was staying after school in his classroom between January and February 2013, according to court documents.

Ford began investigating Schulz when police were notified Jan. 9 by the Department of Human Services. The department learned of the alleged incident from the girl's therapist.

Schulz has been on paid administrative leave. He had been teaching social studies in Anamosa since 1999. Before that, he taught at Midland Middle School in Lost Nation since 1994.