Edhat Staff
Update by the edhat staff
September 9, 2024
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch announced Monday that charges have been formally filed against 54-year-old Steven Schapansky.
The former Goleta elementary school teacher is charged with two felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14, and 70 misdemeanor counts of unlawful electronic peeping.
The felony complaint details that on two separate occasions Schapansky inappropriately touched two girls under the age of 14 while they were sleeping.
The complaint also shows the 70 peeping charges are related to specific “Jane Does” with the known victim count being as high as 46. In several charges the victims were identified as “unknown” showing there could be more victims that have not been identified.
Schapansky worked as a teacher at Santa Barbara Charter School and is accused of hiding cameras in areas where children would change their clothes.
He is scheduled to appear in Department 8 of the Santa Barbara Superior Court at 8:30
a.m. on September 13, 2024.
Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Detectives Brett White and Gregory Plett are leading the investigation. Victims may contact the District Attorney’s Victim-Witness Assistance Program at 805-568-2400 or toll free at 855-840-3232.
Sheriff Re-Arrests Goleta Teacher for Child Molestation Amidst Hidden Camera Investigation
Steven Schapansky Arrested Friday in Fresno Area
By the edhat staff
September 6, 2024
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives announced Friday they have re-arrested 54-year-old Steven Schapansky from Goleta on a new charge of child molestation.
Deputies began their investigation on July 12, 2024, when they received a report of secret recording devices that were found in the Schapansky’s possessions. As a result of the initial investigation detectives arrested Schapansky on July 13, 2024, for invasion of privacy with a recording device (misdemeanor), and he was subsequently released.
Schapansky was teaching 5th and 6th grades at Santa Barbara Charter School, according to a page on the school’s website that has since been removed.
The school serves approximately 240 children from grades K-6th grade on their campus at 6100 Stow Canyon Road in Goleta.
Detectives worked to conduct extensive follow up on this case to identify the juvenile victims who were recorded without their knowledge. These recordings were captured at various locations, in areas where juveniles would change clothing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday the Sheriff’s Office announced detectives have since been conducting follow up on this case and have identified Schapansky as the suspect in a child molestation case. Detectives obtained a warrant for Schapansky’s arrest and tracked him to where he was staying in the Fresno area.
With the assistance of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, detectives arrested Schapansky on a felony warrant in the city of Fresno on Friday, September 6, 2024, at approximately 10:00 a.m. He was booked at the Northern Branch Jail where he is being held on $100,000 bail.
Identifying information about the juvenile survivor is not available for release, the Sheriff’s Office stated.
The Santa Barbara Unified School District and Santa Barbara Charter School are facing a lawsuit for negligence after a teacher allegedly recorded students with hidden cameras. The lawsuit was filed by the parents of a child, known as Jane Doe, who was confirmed to be a victim of these recordings.
Attorneys David Ring and Natalie Weatherford from the plaintiff trial law firm Taylor and Ring filed the claim on behalf of Doe’s family.This preliminary step typically precedes a full lawsuit and aims to secure compensation for damages suffered by the victims. The lawyers claim they have reason to believe Schapansky has been recording students over a period of six years.
As previously reported by The Independent, Santa Barbara Charter School sought a workplace violence restraining order against him on July 24 to protect Cristina Cullen, the school’s director of operations. A court hearing is slated for August 12.
“Sheriff’s detectives coordinate closely with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office, Victim-Witness Program to ensure the needs of victims are not overshadowed by the focus on the investigation and prosecution of the accused. Advocates are available to ensure that victims are kept informed and supported throughout the criminal justice process. Victims have the option of contacting the Victim-Witness Assistance Program directly at 805-568-2400 or toll free at 855-840-3232,” the Sheriff’s Office states.
The Sheriff’s Office previously stated they have been working closely with administrators from the Santa Barbara Charter School to coordinate outreach and support services.
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Santa Barbara Charter School Teacher Arrested for Filming Juveniles with Hidden Cameras
So, not just hidden cameras. No surprise, I guess. Such a painful, horrible betrayal to his students, his family and his friends.
Man, good job law enforcement, but will the current Ca legal system keep him bars and away from children long enough? I sure hope so. Most of these clowns get out again and again to keep re-offending. They apparently can’t help it. I hope the judge slams the door on this sicko. I’d pay $100 to have a free shot at punching his sorry a$$ in the face right now.
Your algorithm for generating a comment seems to be:
Fantasize a scenario.
Complain about it.
Repeat.
Hey BASIC, you know your bail would be a lot higher than $100 for committing assault, right? Not to mention the civil liability should he sue you for battery.
It’s pretty weird how this dude is fantasizing about being able to perpetrate consequence free physical violence on someone.
It’s so similar to how Trump talks. Just throws stuff at the wall to see what sticks as far as truth, belittles vulnerable populations and insults those in need, brags to no end and feels the need to constantly one up everyone (“2 (boats) in fact”), lies a LOT, speaks in simple and logic-free sentences, and fantasizes and encourages physical violence.
Some people deserve it. It’s not weird at all.
Just sociopathic, but these days, unfortunately, not weird.
Not weird that you fantasize about getting the opportunity to punch someone in the face who wouldn’t be able to punch you back?
Whew.
Not weird at all, ALEX. Just cowardly.
Aw, this guy’s a pervert – local LE got it done. You’re just pissed. But imagine your kids (if you have any kids) got molested by him. Don’t defend a pervert child molester. That’s absurd. Anyone but a pure snowflake would love to hammer this evil garbage. Not you? Hey, then, you took your stand.
BASIC – once again, I, nor anyone else here at any time, defended this creep. More made up stuff. No surprises.
Oh, this is just too good. I note that it is weird and disturbing that someone fantasizes about doing physical violence to another person…as long as they don’t have to face any consequences
This person immediately concludes that I must be mad that a child molester was arrested–and more, that I am defending that child molester.
No, I would not pay money to punch someone in the face–regardless of their crime. The only point of that would be to satisfy some cowardly urge I might have. No, I’d have no feeling at all putting 15 grams of lead through someone’s eye if they were hurting children in that way. But “getting a free shot to punch them in the face?” Nah.
Wow, dude. Awesome.
Basic, I really enjoy how you show up to get (rhetorically) punched in the face by me again and again. And for free!
HEY EDHAT…. CHANGE THE HEADING ON THIS STORY—- This creep is and was NOT A GOLETA TEACHER….!!!!! He worked as a teacher for Santa Barbara CHARTER SCHOOL….!!!
Geeez.
HEY COASTWATCH, THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN GOLETA.
As usual, you are commenting about something without having any knowledge attached.
Guess where the campus of SB Charter School is.
COAST – Does telling the truth literally cause you physical pain? I feel like it does, as you bend over backwards to avoid it in every single comment you make here. Sorry for that, it must be tough.
This guy is a monster and I hope Santa Barbara County is tough on him in the courtroom. Bring back the way they used to punish people in the 90s here. Nobody got any good plea bargains back then for serious felonies. They were especially tough on sex crimes which are the most heinous of Offenses. This 290 needs to be put on D facility when he gets to Reception at Wasco.
Couldn’t agree more.
Google says that retired SBCC professor Dr. Elwood Schapansky‘s son worked at Santa Barbara Charter School.
FERNALD – why is that important or relevant? Why drag his supposed father into into this?
hmmm