Halden “HB” Calvert, a former teacher at Chico High School, pled guilty to molesting a student last spring at a hearing Thursday.

Calvert, 52, was arrested last fall after parents of the victim, a junior at the time, grew concerned that she was becoming suicidal and checked her diary and cell phone, according to a release from the Butte County District Attorney, Michael L. Ramsay,

The victim was 17 years old at the time the incidents, taking place over several months, occurred. She admitted that Calvert had kissed her several times in a classroom and touched her at his home.

An investigation was immediately begun by the Chico Police’s sex crime division. Calvert at first denied the allegations but after 5000 text messages were found to have been exchanged between him and the victim, a criminal complaint was filed last month.

According to Ramsey, when the investigation began in October Calvert was removed from campus and placed on administrative leave. Calvert later resigned from his position at Chico High School.

According to the release, District Attorney Ramsey praised the parents of the victim for contacting police after becoming suspicious. Ramsay expressed outrage based on Calvert’s position of trust and authority. “We expect so much more of our teachers and such actions unfortunately diminish the wonderful work the dedicated and compassionate teachers in our community do every day,” he stated.

Calvert taught math at Chico High School for 20 years, serving as a board member of the Chico Unified Teachers Association. He will lose his teaching credential and be required to register as a sex offender.

According to the release, he will be sentenced on June 14, 2018 and is expected to face a year in county jail and pay a fine of $5,000 as well as reimbursement of counseling to the victim’s family.

Natalie Hanson can be reached at [email protected] or @NatalieH_Orion on Twitter.