Ventura’s Kochel Pleads Guilty : Jurisprudence: High school football coach faces up to six years in prison after admitting to having sex with a teen-age student.

VENTURA —  Harvey Kochel, Ventura High football coach, pleaded guilty Thursday to having sex with a teen-age student and faces a prison term of up to six years.

In an unannounced court appearance, Kochel, 48, entered guilty pleas to six felony counts and admitted a special allegation that he abused a position of trust.

Investigators said Kochel engaged in a seven-month sexual relationship with the girl, who was 15 when Kochel met her in a health class he taught.

Kochel, suspended without pay when the case surfaced, left the courtroom without explaining why he reversed not-guilty pleas he had entered two weeks ago.

His attorney, Louis B. Samonsky Jr., also declined to explain, saying only, “We feel it is the appropriate thing to do at this time.”

News hit hard among administrators and students that the most successful coach in Ventura High’s history faces loss of his freedom as well as his career.

“It’s a black eye to teachers in general,” said Terence M. Kilbride, a 12 1/2-year member of the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education, as well as a deputy district attorney.

The school board probably will take administrative action to fire Kochel, according to Jerry Dannenberg, director of certificated personnel for the Ventura Unified School District. Kochel was asked by the state to surrender his teaching license soon after he was arrested.

Ventura High Principal Jerry Barshay said that his staff has offered extra counseling to some students who were emotionally affected by the case.

“It’s a very difficult situation, because he’s a very popular teacher on this campus,” Barshay said.

Kochel’s guilty pleas were the culmination of an agreement worked out between his attorney and the Ventura County district attorney’s office, prosecutors said.

Under the bargain, prosecutors said they will dismiss six other sex-related charges when Kochel is sentenced on Jan. 15. Deputy Dist. Atty. Lela Henke-Dobroth said that Kochel faces a minimum term of 16 months in prison and a maximum of six years.

The guilty pleas were filed five weeks after Kochel turned himself in to Ventura police on an arrest warrant issued after an investigation of his relationship with the girl, who has not been identified.

Investigators said Kochel, who has been divorced since 1988, began a sexual relationship with the girl that lasted from mid-February until mid-September and included liaisons at his home in Ventura. The investigation began after the girl’s parents noticed changes in her behavior and found letters that Kochel allegedly wrote to the girl, investigators said.

Under the law, sex with a minor is illegal even if the minor consents. Kochel had coached the school’s football team since 1981.

Dressed in white pants and a dark tweed jacket, Kochel said “Yes, ma’am,” as Deputy Dist. Atty. Saundra T. Brewer recited each of the charges the coach was admitting.

The normally raucous court was silent as the prosecutor listed the consequences of the guilty pleas. In addition to the mandatory prison term, she said, Kochel will have to register with state and local agencies as a sex offender after his release. He also could be fined up to $20,000 and ordered to pay restitution to the victim.

Kochel remains free on a promise to appear in court for sentencing. Before his arrest, Kochel had coached the Cougars to a 77-35-5 record. Ventura won its first three games this season. But since his arrest, the team has lost two of its last five.