A former Colstrip High School teacher was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison — with 15 years suspended — for sexually abusing a 15-year-old student, a case that unfolded largely on school grounds and through social media.
William Schuman-Kline, 30, of Billings, was sentenced in Rosebud County District Court in Forsyth by Judge Rennie Wittman. A jury in Custer County found him guilty in January of three felony counts, including sexual assault and sexual abuse of children. The trial was moved to Custer County District Court in Miles City because of the case’s high profile in the community.
Schuman-Kline will be housed at Montana State Prison and must serve at least 10 years before becoming eligible for parole. The three felony sentences will run concurrently. He is also required to complete sexual offender treatment, register as a Level 1 sex offender, and pay $1,500 in restitution to the Montana Crime Victims Compensation Unit.
Prosecutors said Schuman-Kline used his position of authority to coerce the student into sexual activity between November 2023 and February 2024. The abuse occurred on school property, including inside his classroom. Court records show he used Snapchat to send the victim nude images of himself, encouraged sexual activity, persuaded her to view explicit material, and knowingly possessed nude images of the student, who was legally unable to consent due to her age.
Evidence presented at trial showed Schuman-Kline used coded language to arrange private meetings with the student, including using the phrase “borrowing a charger” as a signal for her to meet him. Testimony from other students indicated he engaged in inappropriate physical contact with the victim in front of peers and cultivated secrecy throughout the relationship.
In sentencing, Judge Wittman emphasized the severe imbalance of power between a teacher and a student and placed full responsibility for the abuse on Schuman-Kline, rejecting any notion that the victim bore any fault. Wittman noted that the victim had expressed concern about consequences for Schuman-Kline rather than for herself — a detail the judge said spoke to her character.
A victim impact statement read in court described lasting emotional damage, disrupted relationships, and a changed sense of identity. The statement noted the victim did not believe she would ever fully recover and expressed pain at being defined by what was done to her.
The victim’s mother, Jennifer Pipe, said the sentencing brought closure after more than two years. She said she hopes the outcome will encourage other victims to speak out, and that the case sends a clear message that abuse will be taken seriously and prosecuted.
Wittman said he considered designating Schuman-Kline as a higher-risk Level 2 sex offender but ultimately imposed the Level 1 designation consistent with the state’s recommendation.
By DNU staff