Timothy Frey

Timothy Walter Frey will spend a lifetime on the sex offender registry and 15 years on probation, but he won’t spend a minute in prison for sexually abusing a Pendleton High School student last spring.

Frey, a former long-term substitute teacher at the high school, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual assault as a part of a deal with the Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office at a court hearing Thursday.

Frey, 27, was able to plead down from eight counts of felony sexual assault after he was charged with having sex with a 17-year-old girl five times between March 13 and April 4.

In addition to probation and being added to the sex offender registry, Frey will also do 160 hours of community service, forfeit his teaching license, follow 20 recommendations from a psychosexual analysis, pay $15,000 in fines ($12,000 of which is suspended) and undergo a sex offender treatment program.

Circuit Court Judge Christopher Brauer was also stern in ordering Frey to not contact the victim, saying Frey shouldn’t even so much as “strap a message to the leg of a pigeon” in hopes of communicating with her.

In a brief statement before his sentencing, Frey apologized to the victim’s family.

Frey’s attorney Jason Thompson echoed Frey’s remorse, saying the decisions made in those few weeks were the worst of his client’s life.

According to district documents, Frey was a substitute teacher at Pendleton schools for 102 days between Feb. 24, 2014, and March 13, 2015, and was at other schools during that time as well. Before departing the district, Frey worked a four-month stint as the substitute teacher for a health and physical education class comprised mostly of juniors.

The charges brought against Frey state he started having sex with the student on the last day of his tenure.

In addition to Pendleton High School, Frey also has taught at Sunridge Middle School, West Hills Intermediate School, Homestead Youth Lodge and Washington Elementary School. Outside of Pendleton, Frey was a substitute in the Hermiston and Pilot Rock school districts.