Molester Gets 540 Years to Life for 3rd ‘Strike’

A homeless man known as “crazy Richard,” convicted of kidnapping and molesting two Buena Park boys in 1995, was sentenced to 540 years to life in prison Friday under the state’s “three strikes” law, one of the longest sentences in county history.

Richard Michael Schulz, 53, was convicted by a judge in August of molesting the boys, two friends ages 11 and 12, on two different days in Buena Park.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Walter Schwarm said 21 of the 30 sexual assault and kidnapping charges on which Schulz was convicted carried mandatory 25-year-to-life sentences under the “three strikes” law.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Kazuharu Makino, as required by the law, ordered that the sentences on the 21 counts be served consecutively, plus another 15 years, resulting in the unusually lengthy prison term.

“The purpose of the sentence here was to ensure that Mr. Schulz wouldn’t get out of prison,” Schwarm said. “I hope it sends out a message.”

Deputy Public Defender Doug Lobato said his client, who was known to the boys by his nickname, had a long history of mental illness and was under the care of a psychiatrist at the time of his arrest.

“I’ve been practicing a long time, and I’ve never seen a more difficult case,” he said.

Schulz, a registered sex offender, had been living in the park nearly three years when he first molested the boys on July 26, 1995, according to the prosecution. About half the lewd acts happened that day.

The next day when Schulz again encountered the boys, he took them to Bethel Lutheran Church, where he called the parents of the older boy and demanded a $200 ransom.

The boy’s mother called the police department, which sent an officer to pose as a family member and deliver $40 Schulz said he would accept when told that’s all the mother could offer.

Schulz did not make the first meeting, but called later and demanded more money. Police responded again and arrested the man, who was charged under the “three strikes” law.

“The facts spoke for themselves in this case, because the conduct was so ugly,” Schwarm said. “Because of the nature of the acts, coupled with his background, and on top of that, the ransom of a person’s family, the three strikes applies.”

The defendant had already served more than 10 years in prison for crimes that include burglary and attempted armed robbery.