MISDEMEANORS DROPPED. SCHUMAN NOW CHARGED WITH THREE FELONIES… FACES YEARS IN PRISON…
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The man accused of throwing a water bottle at a child on an e-bike in the West Boca Raton community of Lotus — then taking his cell phone — is now facing three felony charges. Mitchell Schuman was set to be arraigned on four misdemeanors on Thursday, but that arraignment was just cancelled. The misdemeanors were dropped, replaced by felony charges of theft, battery, and criminal mischief.
As BocaNewsNow.com reported exclusively, Schuman was caught on camera, seemingly throwing his water bottle at a boy performing “wheelies” on his e-bike in the Lotus community of million-dollar homes where they both live. Schuman apparently had harassed the boy before — at least according to text messages he sent other people in his community. We reported on those text messages in the days after the latest incident on Good Friday.
It was midday on a day off from school when Schuman apparently threw the water bottle at the boy, then took his phone and refused to let him call his parents or police. Sources tell BocaNewsNow.com that charges may now also be pending against other people seen in the videos, below.
BocaNewsNow.com noted what appeared to be the exceptionally lengthy period of time that it took prosecutors to move forward with this case. As we published late last month, several people were arrested for battery in Palm Beach County on April 3rd, but only Mitchell Schuman’s case seemed to drag. Everyone else was arrested and taken to jail. Schuman, a legal professional living in a West Boca Raton community, was issued a “notice to appear.”
But the appearance of special treatment is now being replaced by the full force of the law. The felony charges just filed against Schuman carry several years in prison if he’s convicted. As of late Wednesday afternoon, the new charges are Felony Theft, Felony Battery, and Felony Criminal Mischief. The theft charge alone carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.
It was not immediately clear what charges — if any charges — the other people in the video could face. One man is seen physically restraining the boy — that is arguably battery. Other men are possibly seen preventing the boy from accessing his phone. It’s illegal in Florida to prevent someone from accessing their communication device. The woman who is heard encouraging the men to restrain the boy and deny him his phone could potentially be charged with “accessory after the fact.”
Mitchell Schuman has hired a public relations firm. We’ll publish their statements if they provide anything worth publishing other than “we won’t litigate this case in the media.”
