Circuit Court Date Set for Schepansky on Gun Charge

A June 14 Circuit Court hearing is set for Raymond Schepansky, the Plymouth High School teacher facing a single charge of carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle.

Schepansky, 53, of Plymouth, was arrested on April 14 while driving his car on the Beck Road entrance to the school parking lot. Two of the three initial charges, possession of a weapon on school property (a weapon-free zone), and felony firearm, were dropped by 35th District Court Chief Justice Michael Gerou on Tuesday.

The remaining charge against Schepansky, carrying a concealed weapon in a motor vehicle, is a felony which carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $2,500, according to Michigan's Penal Code.

Schepansky is scheduled to be arraigned in Wayne County's Third Circuit Court at 9 a.m. on June 14.

Schepansky,  as he drove to his job as a military history teacher at Plymouth High. On the previous day, he had been told by Erin MacGregor, 's associate principal, to take the day off school after other teachers expressed concern over Schepansky's behavior.

Schepansky allegedly made comments threatening MacGregor, according to testimony by Elizabeth Benegas, one of two concerned teachers. During her May 6 court testimony, she said she had seen Schepansky on the morning of April 13, behaving in an upset manner slamming laptops and kicking items as well as saying someone "needed to die."

McGregor, who also testified at the May 6 hearing, said he and other school officials met with Schepansky during the afternoon of April 13 and confronted the teacher about his alleged outburst. McGregor said at the end of the sometimes contentious meeting, he and Schepansky shook hands.

Schepansky is currently free on $100,000 cash bond and is on indefinite unpaid leave from the school district. 

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Donaldson asked Judge Gerou to continue some restrictions to the bond, including an order for Schepanskty to stay off all Plymouth-Canton school properties and grounds, including the administration building. Judge Gerou said he cannot contact witnesses or administrators and cannot have guns in his possession.