A former Connecticut elementary school teacher accused of molesting female students over several years was sentenced Tuesday to five years probation, with a 10 year prison sentence suspended.

Prosecutors in New Britain had previously allowed James Eschert, 53, to enter an Alford plea, meaning he maintains his innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have the evidence to convict him, according to the Hartford Courant.

But he entered the plea on only a single count of risk of injury to a minor, while prosecutors dropped two counts of sexual assault and four other counts of risk of injury — and he won’t be required to register as a sex offender.

Judge Maureen Keegan did include several conditions — he must attend sex offender evaluation and treatment and is barred from contact with minors except family members unless another adult is present — or the suspended sentence will be revoked.

Keegan also barred him from holding another teaching position.

Eschert has been a teacher since 1998 when a former student told her middle school principal in September 2021 that he had touched her inappropriately, his arrest warrant says. The investigation involved morethan a dozen former students and found multiple allegations against him.

Eschert resigned his post at Plymouth Center School in November 2021.

In the course of the investigation, detectives heard that Eschert would frequently have female students decorate papers under his desk while he had his genitals in their faces, the arrest affidavit says. One girl reported that he often touched himself over his clothing.

Another former students said he rubbed her shoulders and touched her breasts every day to see if she was wearing a bra. On one occasion, she said, he touched her breasts under her clothing.

Parents who attended Tuesday’s hearing were dismayed.

“Risk of injury? Really? That’s the best you could do?” said one father, who asked not to be identified to keep his daughter’s identity out of the press.

He called the sentence a “slap on the risk” for “vile, disgusting, and perverted conduct.”

Eschert himself had nothing to say during hearing, except, “Thank you, your honor.”

Three lawsuits filed by former students against Eschert, the town of Plymouth, and school officials are working their way through the courts.

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[Featured image: James Eschert/Plymouth Police Department]