A former Pine Island Public Schools teacher was ordered held on a $75,000 conditional bail or bond following her arrest by the Rochester Police Department for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl at the teacher's Rochester home.
Lindsey Rose Schneeberger, 24, of Rochester, appeared before District Judge Joseph Chase on Friday, May 26, 2023, on three felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The charges also allege penetration.
Schneeberger Reported to Police After Teen's Mom Found Inappropriate Text Messages
Schneeberger was a former volleyball coach and physical education teacher for Pine Island Middle School, where she met the teenager. The sexual assaults are alleged to have happened between March 1, 2023, and May 15, 2023.
A family member reported to RPD on May 15, 2023, that she found inappropriate text messages between Schneeberger and the teenager that were concerning.
During an interview with law enforcement, the teenager said Schneeberger repeatedly sexually assaulted her, almost weekly for a period of time, after Schneeberger had groomed her for several months starting in August 2022.
The sexual assaults began when the victim was 13 years old. Schneeberger is also alleged to have sent nude images of herself to the teenager.
Schneeberger Resigned Following Investigation, Started Teaching Job at Another School District
Schneeberger was placed on leave March 6, 2023, following an investigation, according to Pine Island Public School Superintendent Tamara Champa. Champa declined to say what the investigation into Schneeberger was about but the educator resigned from her position on March 16, 2023.
After resigning, the defendant obtained another job in a school district roughly 13 miles due south. Schneeberger is currently employed by Byron Public Schools and the district learned of these charges only on Friday, according to a statement from Byron Public Schools Superintendent Mike Neubeck.
"There have been no allegations involving students at Byron Public Schools. Ms. Schneeberger is not scheduled to work and will not have access to any students. Further information regarding her employment is private personnel data at this point in time. There is nothing more important than the safety, security and well-being of our students and, while privacy laws do not allow us to discuss all of the actions that have been taken, please understand that the District immediately responded to the information received today. If you have any information related to this matter, you are urged to contact the Olmsted County Sheriff's Department," he wrote in a statement.
Schneeberger is held on a $75,000 conditional bail with conditions being she not have any unsupervised contact with minors and hold no position of authority over minors. If convicted on all three counts, she faces a 20-year prison sentence.
