More charges in child kidnapping case

RUSK – More charges are being added in a recent kidnapping that prompted an Amber Alert. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Jesse Schmidt now faces charges of aggravated kidnapping and continuous sexual abuse of a child. Schmidt was already charged with kidnapping. The alert was activated early Tuesday for two children who were later found with Schmidt at a Kilgore motel. Schmidt remains jailed in Cherokee County on $500,000 bond. The sheriff’s office says the case remains active pending further investigation. According to our news partner KETK, 11-year-old Desmond Wells and 10-year-old Ashlynn Wells had last been seen in the Rusk area Monday afternoon when the alert was activated. Officials say they have now been released to CPS custody.