Former SE Minnesota Teacher’s Appeal For Reduced Sentence Denied

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - A former Pine Island teacher and coach convicted of child sexual abuse has lost her bid for a reduced sentence.

Last year, 26-year-old Lindsey Rose Schneeberger entered into a plea agreement and admitted to a first-degree criminal sexual conduct charge involving a former student. Under the plea deal, Olmsted County prosecutors dismissed two additional first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

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According to court documents, Schneeberger was accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl beginning when the victim was 13 years old. She was arrested in 2023 after the victim's mother reported the sexual abuse by the former teacher after discovering suspicious text messages from Schneeberger.

The criminal complaint indicated that Schneeberger resigned from her teaching position with the Pine Island School District in March of last year. At the time of her arrest, the school district website listed her as a middle school physical education instructor and 7th grade volleyball coach.

At her sentencing hearing last April, the judge presiding over the case rejected Schneeberger's request for probation and followed state sentencing guidelines in ordering her to serve a 12 year prison term.

Schneeberger then filed an appeal, arguing the judge abused his discretion by denying her motion for a downward departure from sentencing guidelines. In its ruling against Schneeberger, the Minnesota Court of Appeals noted that there were some factors in the case that could have supported her request, but that did not mean the judge was required to grant it.