Former Plymouth teacher accused of sex assault sentenced to probation, no sex offender registration

A former teacher in Plymouth accused of inappropriately touching several of his female students over several years received a sentence on Tuesday that allowed him to elude both prison time and the requirement to register as a sex offender.

James Eschert, 53, was handed down a suspended sentence in New Britain Superior Court after previously pleading guilty under the Alford doctrine to one felony count of risk of injury to a minor. An Alford plea means Eschert disputes the allegations but acknowledges he would likely be convicted after a trial.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors elected not to pursue two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and four additional counts of risk of injury to a minor.

Eschert on Tuesday was sentenced to five years of probation with a 10-year suspended jail sentence hanging over his head if he were to violate any conditions — which include sex offender evaluation and treatment and an order not to have any contact with minors except family members in the presence of an adult, Judge Maureen Keegan said.

Keegan also said during the hearing that Eschert will never be allowed to hold another teaching position.

The 53-year-old had been a teacher in Plymouth since 1998 before a former student of his, once she was older, confided in the principal of Eli Terry Jr. Middle School in September 2021 about past allegations of sexual abuse, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. The principal contacted the state Department of Children and Families before the agency and members of the Plymouth Police Department opened up investigations into Eschert, who primarily taught the third and fourth grades during his career, most recently teaching at Plymouth Center School before resigning in November 2021.

The police investigation — which involved interviewing more than a dozen former students — turned up a history of alleged inappropriate behavior between Eschert and his female students, the affidavit said. Former students told police he would often invite girls to sit on his lap and ask them to stay inside with him when the other kids were out at recess, according to the affidavit.

One girl told investigators that Eschert commonly gave some of his female students paper to decorate under his desk while he had his genitals “in her face or another girl’s face,” according to the affidavit. The girl also alleged that Eschert at times would touch himself over his clothing, according to the affidavit.

Another of Eschert’s former students told investigators he would rub her shoulders and touch her breasts over her clothing each day to see if she was wearing a bra or not, the affidavit said. On one occasion, the girl alleged, he touched her breasts under her shirt, the document continued.

Former students also said Eschert commonly hugged his female students and not the male ones, according to the affidavit. He also allegedly invited them to his home in Avon, telling them they would be welcome for dinner, the affidavit said.

The father of one of the girls attended Tuesday’s proceeding to express his discontent with the plea bargain, saying only a “broken system” would allow for the sexual assault charges against Eschert to be dropped.

“Risk of injury?” the father asked. “Really? That’s the best you could do?”

The father, who asked not to be identified to spare his daughter further trauma, questioned how someone like Eschert could escape a prison sentence given the permanent damage he inflicted on the man’s child and so many others. The parent said Eschert was given a “slap on the wrist” for what he described as “vile, disgusting and perverted conduct.”

“This man needs to be put behind bars,” the father said, adding that he was not consulted about the plea bargain before it was offered to the former teacher, whom he described as a “monster.”

Helen McLellan, a prosecutor who stood in for the sentencing on behalf of State’s Attorney Christian Watson, said the parents of other minor victims identified during the investigation supported the plea deal that was reached after numerous discussions between Watson and Eschert’s attorney, William Conti.

“I know that this has been a difficult process for all the families involved,” McLellan said.

Before imposing Eschert’s sentence, Keegan addressed the concerns of the lone parent who spoke during the proceeding, telling him she understands that the plea deal offers him “very little solace.” Keegan acknowledged that it could be “disturbing and inconceivable” for someone unfamiliar with the criminal justice system to see a man like Eschert avoid time behind bars.

Keegan noted that the sex offender probation Eschert will have to serve will include random searches of his home, car, computer and other places where he could store sexually stimulating materials that he will be prohibited from possessing. He also must disclose any romantic or sexual relationships with his probation officer and will be excluded from certain jobs where he could further victimize children, the judge said.

“Sex offender probation is the hardest probation that there is in the criminal justice system,” said Keegan, who later clarified that Eschert will not be required to register with the state’s sex offender registry.

Conti did most of the speaking on behalf of his client during the sentencing. When asked if he wished to say anything, Eschert only said, “Just thank you, your honor.”

“This has been a long and windy road,” Conti said, adding that several people wrote letters in support of Eschert leading up to the sentencing hearing.

Following the proceeding, Conti told The Courant Eschert’s case was a “hotly contested matter.”

“I think it’s in the best interest of everybody involved that it’s resolved,” Conti said.

Three lawsuits filed against Eschert and the town of Plymouth by former students alleging sexual abuse and exploitation remain pending at courthouses in New Britain and Waterbury. A motion to stay the civil proceedings until the criminal matters against Eschert and former Plymouth Center School principal Chrystal Collins were resolved was filed in two of the lawsuits.

Collins, who has also been named in the lawsuits, was one of four current or former educators arrested and accused of violating the state’s mandated reporter laws by not notifying the proper authorities about the allegations against Eschert.

Collins formerly worked as the principal at Plymouth Center School until 2019. Her case has been sealed from the public and marked down for a possible dismissal date in July 2025.