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Court to judge reckless lover

The man, 21, helped his 16-year-old girlfriend run away in Georgia and hide. Now he faces three years in prison.

By COLLEEN JENKINS
Published September 29, 2005

NEW PORT RICHEY - The young man waited nervously at the front of the courtroom, his dirty blond hair hanging over his ears, his ankles connected by a chain.

The girl he loved sat in the back, one row behind her mother, waiting to see if she would be called to testify at her boyfriend's trial.

Instead, Peter Kaill Reinschmidt decided Wednesday morning to take his chances with County Judge Marc Salton. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges incurred last summer when he hid 17-year-old Leah Deltedesco in his apartment as Georgia and local authorities searched for her as a runaway.

"Don't worry," he mouthed to Deltedesco after deciding to plead. "It's going to be okay. I love you. I love you so much."

Interviewed in July by the St. Petersburg Times , Reinschmidt and Leah told of their desire to one day marry. But her mother had forbidden the relationship because of the age difference. At the time, Reinschmidt was 21. Leah was 16.

Facing a choice between breaking up with Reinschmidt or moving to her grandmother's home in Georgia, Leah chose Georgia. Then, on July 2, Reinschmidt drove to Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta, Ga., and helped his girlfriend run away.

She stayed at his New Port Richey apartment until July 6. That evening, at a candlelight vigil for Leah, police took Reinschmidt in for questioning. After days of denying knowledge of his girlfriend's whereabouts, the young man admitted she was at his apartment.

Reinschmidt was charged in Pasco County with aiding an unmarried minor runaway, making false statements to authorities and contributing to the delinquency of a child. He also faces two felony charges in Georgia: giving false statements and interfering with the custody of a minor.

Leah wasn't charged.

On Wednesday, Reinschmidt pleaded to the three Pasco charges without a deal from prosecutors, meaning it will be up to Salton to determine a sentence. Reinschmidt faces up to one year in jail on each of the charges.

"Technically, you could be sentenced to the maximum amount of time," Salton told Reinschmidt. "I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it could happen."

Reinschmidt's attorneys, Assistant Public Defenders Willie Pura and Ronnie N. Jones, asked the judge to delay sentencing until Oct. 27. Meantime, they hope to reach a sentencing agreement with Georgia authorities that would keep their client from getting extradited on the charges he faces there.

Until then, Reinschmidt will remain in jail on the hold Georgia has on him. He has not been allowed any contact with his girlfriend, who is considered a victim in the case.

Before court Wednesday, a bailiff permitted Reinschmidt one hug for each of his parents, the first time he had touched them in nearly three months.

He held on tight.

--Brendan Fitterer contributed to this report. Colleen Jenkins covers courts in west Pasco County. She can be reached at 727 869-6236 or cjenkins@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 29, 2005, 01:19:16]