Indiana Firefighter Faces Felony Child Molestation Charges

Feb. 15, 2006
The Lawrence Fire Department has placed him on leave with pay while the investigation continues.

A Lawrence firefighter with a history of felony child molesting now faces new charges for the same crime.

Michael D. Kopp, 41, was charged Wednesday morning with two counts of felony child molestation and two counts of felony child seduction.

According to sheriff's investigators, the alleged assaults occurred at Kopp's home on Indianapolis' northeast side over a period of years beginning in 1997, when the victim was 13 years old.

The family member, now 21, told detectives that the assaults continued through high school, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

Kopp was convicted in 1993 of molesting another family member. Officials said he lied about his felony arrest and conviction on his application to the fire department.

"This is something that literally devastates children's lives and this happened over the course of several years," said Marion County prosecutor Carl Brizzi. "But for the fact that he was going to marry another person who had another young daughters, this might not have been reported."

The Lawrence Fire Department has placed Kopp on administrative leave without pay. Kopp faces a maximum sentence of more than 100 years in prison if he is convicted of all charges.

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