A Pleasanton man was sentenced Friday to 16 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a second-grader in his classroom in the late 1990s, during which he was a schoolteacher in Fremont.
Michael Schoop, 65, was charged two years ago with four counts of sodomy of a person under the age of 14. On Feb. 19, the third day of his trial, he pleaded no contest to two counts of sodomy in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
The other two counts were dismissed Friday.
Authorities said the incidents for which Schoop was charged occurred in a side room of a portable classroom at the Mission Valley Elementary School in Fremont, where he taught for 25 years and once was named a "distinguished teacher."
The victim's parents attended Schoop's sentencing but did not speak.
The victim, who is now in his early 20s, didn't attend the sentencing "because he didn't want to see Mr. Schoop again," said prosecutor Chris Infante.
"It's been a long struggle" for the victim to deal the the incidents, Infante said. "He's doing much better now."
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Jeffret Horner said Schoop deserved a long sentence because his crimes were "egregious and callous" and the victim was "particularly vulnerable" since he had been sent to Schoop's classroom for additional help.
Horner said Schoop was "in a position of leadership over the victim" and "took advantage of a position of trust.
He added that Schoop poses "a serious danger to society" and the manner of his crimes "involved planning, sophistication and professionalism."
In a related case in federal court, Schoop was sentenced in 2003 to one year in federal prison.
The state and federal cases began when a 45-year-old man told Oakland police that Schoop has molested him for several year, starting in 1967, when the man was about 12 years old.
Schoop was originally charged with four counts of lewd conduct with a child under 14 and one count of forced oral copulation with a minor but those charges were later dropped after the alleged victim recanted his allegations against him.
The only charge that remained against Schoop in that case was the child pornography count to which he pleaded guilty.
Comments
Southeast Pleasanton
on Apr 7, 2015 at 1:57 pm
on Apr 7, 2015 at 1:57 pm
Back in the 1980s and 1990s Schoop was a foster parent to sexually abused boys who resided with at his house in Pleasanton. There were allegations
raised against Schoop regarding Schoop molesting one of his foster kids. The matter ended with Schoop giving up his foster care credentials. No prosecution was undertaken.
Mission Park
on Apr 10, 2015 at 7:44 pm
on Apr 10, 2015 at 7:44 pm
So Michael Schoop has finally admitted that he is a child molester/sodomizer. He should be locked away for life for raping a second grader and god only knows what else he's done.
Mission Elementary in Fremont had him employed in the 1970's where he (although not a real teacher with his own room) "taught" chorus/music and practiced psychological head games on kids before becoming an actual teacher at Mission Valley. He liked to touch all the kids and try to get into their heads. A predator masquerading as someone that loved kids and wanted to help them and always placing himself near them. To think of him in the position as a teacher that was around children for so long is truly sickening. Unfortunately most kids liked him a lot. He had all the faculty fooled while singing his Cat Stevens cover tunes. They should all be ashamed of themselves for unleashing a hideous two faced pervert on trusting children for decades. Thankfully, my friends and I were able to see through his creepy façade but I'd bet there are more victims.
I'm not surprised at the foster parent scenario as it is right up his alley. Who gave the go ahead for that? That's like letting Manson run the Nickelodeon channel.
Livermore
on Apr 12, 2015 at 6:36 am
on Apr 12, 2015 at 6:36 am
Michael Schoop was also very active as a Board of Directors member of a non-profit organization involved with helping sexually abused children. He was kicked off the Board of Directors when he was first charged with molestation back in 2002. Around this same time the authorities performed a search of Michael Schoop's Pleasanton residence and his large houseboat which he docked in the Delta. This is when extensive child pornography was found on his home computers and boys' undsrgarments were discovered on his houseboat.
Michael Schoop is frightening. He should never be released from incarceration. If he manages to complete his prison sentence he should then be locked away in a secure state mental hospital as a sexually violent predator.
Livermore
on Apr 12, 2015 at 10:01 am
on Apr 12, 2015 at 10:01 am
Due to repeated violations of our Terms of Use, comments from this poster are automatically removed. Why?
Pleasanton Valley
on Apr 12, 2015 at 10:30 pm
on Apr 12, 2015 at 10:30 pm
This is where I support capital punishment. To prey upon children is inexcusable and people like this should be put down like a bad dog would be put down.
Pleasanton Meadows
on Apr 13, 2015 at 9:00 am
on Apr 13, 2015 at 9:00 am
@Eric - Many Middle Eastern countries would treat this crime as a capital offence so it's not unheard of.
@Derek - I beginning to think the word "pervert" was deleted from our language. The media never uses that word anymore. Good for you for bringing it back.
Southeast Pleasanton
on Apr 13, 2015 at 1:37 pm
on Apr 13, 2015 at 1:37 pm
John Doe 2 and his parents should find a darn good lawyer and sue the bejesus out of the Fremont school district, Schoop and whoever else might be liable in any way for this horror.
another community
on Apr 18, 2015 at 7:48 am
on Apr 18, 2015 at 7:48 am
My brother and I new mr Schoop really well. I remember when this all happened. I've even been on his house boat with a few of my friends. Luckily nothing ever happened. When this all went down we went through investigators and the whole 9. He always had the coolest toys in his classroom. But he would always come up behind you and rub your shoulders like a creep. I was at Mission Valley all through the 90's I might have known the 2nd grader. It's crazy and scary to think this went down right under our noses.
Old Towne
on Jun 10, 2015 at 1:16 pm
on Jun 10, 2015 at 1:16 pm
In some other countries in the world Mr. Schoop would find himself hanging....if he wasn't killed first through vigilante justice. Here's hoping that Schoop serves the full 16 years of his sentence in a maximum lockdown state prison that befits a violent serial pedophile.