A 54-year-old former teacher from Goleta charged with child molestation and secretly recording students did not appear in court Friday for his arraignment.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Casey Nelson told Judge Thomas Adams that Steven Schapansky sent texts to his family and friends on Tuesday indicating his intention to not participate in the Santa Barbara Superior Court proceedings.
Nelson told the court that the family immediately notified authorities.
On Monday, the District Attorney’s Office announced that it charged Schapansky, a former Santa Barbara Charter School teacher, with two felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts against two minors, and 70 misdemeanor counts of unlawful electronic peeping of 44 minors.
Schapansky was arrested in July after being accused of secretly recording minors at various locations where children would change their clothing, including at the school.
During the investigation, sheriff’s detectives identified Schapansky as a suspect in a child molestation case and arrested him last Friday in Fresno.
He was booked into the Northern Branch Jail, and was released after posting $100,000 bail on Sunday.
Nelson told the court that the District Attorney’s Office has photos of Schapansky leaving on a motorcycle with a large bag. He also said that Schapansky has a pilot’s license, making him a flight risk.
Robert Sanger, Schapansky’s attorney, said the man’s family is concerned that he is at-risk for suicide. Sanger also said that Schapansky left his dog behind.
“I hope he has not committed suicide, but his family believes his life is in danger,” Sanger said.
Around a dozen family members of victims appeared in court Friday morning to watch the proceedings.
Adams issued a no-bail warrant for Schapansky’s arrest for the misdemeanor charges and ruled that they would return to court on Nov. 13 to discuss increasing his bond for the felony charges.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said Schapansky was reported as a missing person in Fresno on Wednesday.
Although he is from the Santa Barbara area, he had recently been staying in Fresno and was arrested there on Friday, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Schapansky was last seen riding a motorcycle and “it is possible he headed toward Yosemite National Park.”
