Advertisement

Largo detectives arrest man accused of hiring hit man to shoot voyeurism suspect

 
Published June 18, 2014

LARGO — Police arrested a 22-year-old man Tuesday accused of hiring someone to kill another man suspected of peering at his girlfriend in a tanning salon in February.

Michael Schmidt, of 6227 101st Way N, Seminole, faces charges of attempted homicide and conspiracy to commit murder.

On Feb. 19, deputies were called to the L.A. Tan salon in Seminole after Schmidt's girlfriend reported that John Black, 36, was peeping at her over a stall. The Sheriff's Office referred the case to the State Attorney's Office.

After learning of the incident, Schmidt, 22, called Black's ex-wife and said he was a detective investigating the case and that he needed Black's contact information, the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies arrested him on a charge of impersonating an officer on Feb. 20.

That same morning, a man knocked on Kristen Gannon's door in Largo and asked to speak with Black, her live-in boyfriend. When Black emerged, the man fired, striking Gannon's leg.

Largo detectives later obtained Schmidt's cell phone records and discovered that Schmidt had been in touch with another man, Frank Robinson, during the time of the shooting, police said.

They contacted Robinson, who told detectives Schmidt offered him money to shoot Black. Robinson declined, but referred Schmidt to 20-year-old Justin Dahlstrom.

Police arrested Dahlstrom on an attempted murder warrant last month.

Schmidt was booked into the Pinellas County jail Tuesday, where he remained without bail.