A former El Modena High School varsity football coach who had a 10-hour standoff with police while armed in one of the school’s classrooms has pleaded guilty to statutory rape of a 17-year-old student and was immediately sentenced to time served in jail and placed on five years of probation.
Michael James Snitzler, 27, of Santa Ana pleaded guilty Thursday to a felony count of possessing a firearm in a school zone, a misdemeanor count of possession of ammunition on school grounds, and a misdemeanor count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
The standoff at the school at 3920 E. Spring St. in Orange occurred on April 23. Snitzler’s brother, who was in the school with him, called police, police said.
Snitzler eventually surrendered to police and no one was injured.
Snitzler was an assistant varsity football coach when he had the sexual relationship with the student earlier this year.
Snitzler met the student in February and exchanged text messages with her. In March, he had sex with the student, prosecutors said.
If convicted at trial of the original charges he faced, Snitzler could have faced up to 10 years in prison.
–City News Service