By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review
Editor’s note: This story was made possible through information gathered by Point Plover Metro Wire. Read more at this link.
A Portage County judge on Wednesday signed an arrest warrant for a former Stevens Point Fire lieutenant accused of sexually assaulting patients at a local hospital.
Mark D. Schoeberle, 51, retired from the department in 2023 after spending more than 20 years as a firefighter and paramedic. the accusations against him come from two women who say he assaulted them earlier this year while they were patients at Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital, where Shoeberle is employed. He now faces three counts of second-degree sexual assault by an employee of a treatment facility, charges that carry a combined maximum penalty of 120 years in prison if he is convicted.
Another woman stepped forward to say she was assaulted twice by Schoeberle; once on March 5, 2024, and again on March 27, 2024.
During the March 5 visit, which she reported in May, the woman alleges that Schoeberle entered her room alone to check the leads on EKG pads connected to her chest and he unhooked the front of her bra with his hand. Then, he held his hand up, laughed, and said, “See, one-handed.”
The woman told police she was shocked at the behavior and didn’t know how to respond, but said there was no reason to remove her bra under the circumstances, according to the complaint.
Schoeberle also allegedly pulled up the bottom of her gown, touched her underwear, and said, “Nice underwear and just what I thought, nice ass,” according to the complaint.
On March 27, the woman was back for additional treatment. After being given an IV by another male provider, Schoeberle entered the woman’s room, saying something to the effect of, “I thought that was you.” He then closed the door, shut the curtains, and allegedly fondled her breast as he was removing EKG pads from her chest.
“The defendant asked if [the victim] liked being touched in this fashion and [the victim] said that they did not. The defendant then started to put his hand down [the victim’s] underwear,” the complaint reads in part.
The woman was administered various medications by Schoeberle including Benadryl, even though she requested not to be given the drug. Police say the woman pushed his hand away, to which Schoeberle replied, “Oh what, you don’t like that?” He then allegedly tried to unbuckle her belt and forced his hand down her pants, according to the complaint.
Schoeberle denies the assaults and said the first alleged victim “initiated a conversation about the defendant’s marriage and whether he was seeing anyone, and started talking about having sex and saying they should ‘get together.’” He said the only physical contact he had with the woman was when he touched her left shoulder, the complaint said.
Schoeberle said he may have inadvertently moved the second alleged victim’s bra while he was connecting or removing EKG leads, but he denied any intentional sexual activity. He told investigators that the second victim was “flirting with him” while he was in her room, the complaint said.
DNA samples were taken from Schoeberle and both women and sent for comparison, along with the first victim’s bra, to the state hygiene lab. The results state that the first victim’s bra contained DNA that was “502 million times more likely that the DNA mixture contained the defendant’s DNA as opposed to an unknown party’s DNA,” according to the complaint.
A body-only warrant means that Schoeberle would need to be booked into the Portage Co. Jail and see a judge before bond is set, according to Point Plover Metro Wire. At press time, no court hearings had been scheduled. Unclear is whether Schoeberle has surrendered.
While still employed by SPFD, Schoeberle had a distinguished career and was awarded the Medal of Distinguished Service in February 2023 for his lifesaving actions during a structure fire.
A message seeking comment from Aspirus was returned Wednesday afternoon. It follows in its entirety:
In the interest of patient and employee safety, the involved individual was immediately removed from all employment duties. Law enforcement was promptly informed, and we are cooperating fully. Because of the ongoing investigation, it is not appropriate to comment further at this time. The individual is no longer employed with Aspirus.
