A model was arrested after she allegedly tried to bribe a federal agent to help convince a judge to let her boyfriend out of Honolulu’s Federal Detention Center while he awaits trial on ammunition charges.
Shannon Teresa Marie Schwartz, who was on the December cover of Maxim New Zealand next to the headline “Meet the model with a heart of gold,” is charged with one count of bribery of a public official and one count of obstruction of justice, according to a federal criminal complaint filed March 18.
Schwartz, who also appeared in Playboy, allegedly offered $5,000 to a Homeland Security Investigations special agent to help secure the supervised release of her boyfriend, Billy Wilhelm Huntzinger, aka “Wilhelm Lewis Huntzinger.”
On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader denied the U.S. Department of Justice’s motion to hold Schwartz without bail until her trial. She was released into the custody of a guardian on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
Trader also barred Schwartz from having any contact or communicating with Huntzinger, who is in custody facing a federal charge of being a felon in possession of 205 rounds of Remington .223-caliber ammunition allegedly found Jan. 11. Honolulu police arrested Huntzinger in his car after a report that he was seen knocking on the door of a house with a pistol tucked into his belt.
Police allegedly found an AR-15-style rifle with no serial number or manufacturer, otherwise known as a “ghost gun”; the 205 rounds of ammunition, 136 of which were loaded into five magazines; an empty Sig Sauer pistol magazine; a grenade pin; approximately 115 grams of a white substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine; about 5 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine; and two scales.
An HSI special agent said he had discovered “numerous missed calls, text messages and voicemails from Schwartz” on Feb. 21, according to federal court records. Schwartz allegedly told the agent she was referred to him by a “high- profile inmate” to “handle a situation.”
Schwartz allegedly wanted Huntzinger’s release from custody and asked to meet with the agent so he could “see she was serious and could pay him.” She allegedly texted the agent asking to meet the next day, saying, “I can help with whatever you need $ not sure what your services cost …”
The agent told the U.S. attorney’s office and his supervisors that same day, and HSI opened a formal investigation of Schwartz’s actions, according to federal court documents.
Two days later Schwartz allegedly left the agent a voicemail stating that she would do anything she needed to do, “monetary or whatever,” to help the agent get Huntzinger released. On Feb. 29 the agent told Schwartz he could not help her.
She persisted, at one point allegedly texting the agent, “Shannon Schwartz model,” “Google first” and “I am not with the fed or pd. I am just a model fyi.”
The agent continued to tell her he could not help and that if he did it could get him fired. Schwartz allegedly replied that it would be worth his while.
The agent agreed to meet in person and texted Schwartz on March 1 that he needed to use his personal mobile phone to communicate with her. The agent was actually using a government- issued device used in undercover operations.
On March 5 Schwartz met the agent at the Starbucks on Nuuanu Avenue and told her Huntzinger’s case was being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation but that he could ask his friend who was a judge to help.
Schwartz allegedly offered to pay the agent $5,000 for his help and agreed to give the agent a “good faith” payment before Huntzinger was released and pay the remaining balance after he was out.
Schwartz allegedly texted the agent after they met, “Thank you so much. You don’t know how important this is to me. I appreciate you. It’s all good no stress please.”
Schwartz arranged to meet the agent at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to make an initial payment of $2,500, putting the money in a soda cup to conceal it.
On March 7 at about 1 p.m., Schwartz pulled up in her white BMW at the interisland terminal “and handed him a white paper bag containing a sandwich, Rice Krispie-type treat, and a yellow fountain soda cup that contained 25 $100 bills for a total of $2,500.”
Schwartz allegedly tried to offer more money and sought help for Huntzinger beyond his release. She allegedly tried to get the agent to ensure Huntzinger did not do any jail time.
In a motion opposing Huntzinger’s request to be released ahead of trial, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Hudspeth noted that Schwartz was willing to deliver “payments totaling $3,500 to a federal agent in an attempt to manipulate court action.”
“The defendant bases his motion on ‘new information’ that he now has a residence to stay, specifically with Shannon Schwartz. However, Ms. Schwartz is currently charged by Criminal Complaint … for attempting to bribe the court for Mr. Huntzinger’s release from custody,” wrote Hudspeth. “Furthermore, Ms. Schwartz now finds herself detained in the Federal Detention Center along with the defendant.”
