Oakland Gardens Teacher Charged With Sexually Abusing 9-Year-Old

OAKLAND GARDENS, QUEENS — A Queens special education teacher faces criminal charges that he forced a 9-year-old girl with autism to touch his genitals in class, according to police and prosecutors.

Marc Scheibel was arrested Wednesday afternoon at P.S. 213 in Oakland Gardens after a coworker spotted him with the girl, took a video of him pulling the child's hand onto his groin, then reported him to the principal, according to police and the Queens district attorney's office.

Scheibel, 48, teaches social studies at P4 Queens, a special education school with several locations across the borough, including at P.S. 213, prosecutors and the Department of Education said.

He has worked for the Department of Education since 2001, according to city payroll records.

“This alleged behavior is completely unacceptable and we immediately reassigned this teacher away from the classroom because of this deeply disturbing allegation," Department of Education spokesperson Danielle Filson said in a statement. "He will not have any interaction with students."

Scheibel was arraigned Thursday in Queens Criminal Court on charges of sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. He is scheduled to return to court March 3.

"The victim in this case is a defenseless child with autism," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement Thursday. "The defendant — a trusted teacher in our school system — is alleged to have taken advantage of both his position and the little girl's innocence. Our children must always be protected from predators."

If convicted, he faces up to 7 years in prison.

Patch editor Maya Kaufman contributed reporting.