Jason Cooper

PITTSBURGH — One of three teachers charged with having inappropriate sexual relationships with students at a Western Pennsylvania high school has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in prison.

Allegheny County Judge David Cashman had threatened to reject Wednesday's plea agreement with Jason Cooper, 39, of Monroeville, but relented to spare the victim — who is now in college — from having to testify. “I'm half-tempted to reject this plea. I don't think it's sufficient to punish you for what you've done,” Cashman said.

Cooper was the first of three male Plum High School teachers scheduled for trial after being charged last year with having inappropriate relationships with female students. A fourth teacher is charged with trying to intimidate one of the alleged victims by pointing her out in class last year, and District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. has said a grand jury was investigating whether school administrators properly handled the allegations, but has yet to announce its findings.

Under the plea agreement, Cooper pleaded guilty to a felony charge of corruption of minors, furnishing alcohol to a minor and intimidating a witness. The intimidation charge was filed after Cooper contacted the student while free on bond. Prosecutors dropped charges of institutional sexual assault and a lesser corruption of minors count.

“I'm sorry for what I put everyone in my life through. I just want to move past this and hope everyone can heal from my mistake,” said Cooper, who will give up his teaching license, spend five years on probation, and register as a sex offender.

The female victim said in letter that she blamed herself at first, but now realizes Cooper was “dirty” and “vile.”

“You're a predator,” Cashman told Cooper. “You targeted the individual, you knew she was defenseless. And you decided that you were going to swoop down and pick up your prey.”