Music teacher arrested for sexual assault

A longtime, well-known Schuylkill County music educator is behind bars after being arrested by Tamaqua Police for indecent assault of a 13-year-old boy.

Dale Schimpf, 71, of Frackville, was picked up early Monday afternoon at Nativity B.V.M. High School in Pottsville after Tamaqua police learned of his inappropriate conduct with the Tamaqua teen. In addition to his teaching career at Nativity, he has been an active member of the Cressona Band.

The victim and his mother contacted police at 6 p.m. on Saturday after Schimpf allegedly had sex with the boy on Friday.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Tamaqua Criminal Investigator Thomas Rodgers, Schimpf was in contact with the boy through the online dating app “Grindr.” Schimpf asked to meet the victim after saying he thought he was “cute and I like younger,” then sent him a photo of his genitals. He picked him up Friday at the boy’s home, took him to dinner and then to his home in Frackville, where the victim says he was forced to participate in sexual acts.

When interviewed by police, Schimpf admitted having sex with the young man, but said he was under the impression the boy was a 30-year-old man.

He was arraigned before District Magistrate Stephen Bayer on felony charges of statutory sexual assault, indecent sexual deviate intercourse by forcible compulsion, indecent sexual deviate intercourse with a person less than 16, and corruption of minors, along with misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and indecent assault on a person less than 16.

Judge Bayer took Schimpf’s lack of a prior criminal record into account, but still imposed a bail of $100,000 straight cash. Schimpf was unable to post bond.