BERKELEY, CA — A former Berkeley music teacher has been sentenced to six years and eight months in state prison after being convicted for the sexual assault of a student last year, prosecutors said.
Jason Hoopes pleaded no contest to arranging to meet with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, oral copulation with a person under the age of 18, and unlawful sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 18, according to the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.
In addition to prison time, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, prosecutors said.
"This case represents a profound betrayal of trust," District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said in a statement Monday. "Our foremost concern is, and always will be, with the well-being of the survivor."
Hoopes was a teacher at Bayhill High School. The school's website says it "specializes in serving students in grades 7-12 with diagnosed learning disabilities, including dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD/ADD, auditory/visual processing disorders, and executive functioning challenges."
Police said they began investigating after concerns were raised by those close to the victim and the victim's family regarding Hoopes' interactions with the victim.
"When Mr. Hoopes was hired, he cleared background checks, which included FBI fingerprinting," Bayhill said back in 2025. "Healthy relationships between students and employees and the emotional and physical well-being of the children in our community are fundamental to what we stand for at Bayhill. Conduct by faculty or other employees that violates our trust in them will not be tolerated."
Bay City News contributed to this report.
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