STOCKTON — A former third-grade teacher at Widmer Elementary School who faced charges that he molested four of his students changed his plea to guilty.

According to court documents, Michael Berchtold, 33, took a plea bargain offer from the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office on June 26, one day before jury selection was to begin for his trial in Stockton Superior Court.

Berchtold faced two counts of lewd acts upon a child and six counts of child molestation. On June 26, he changed his plea from not guilty on all counts by pleading guilty to one count of lewd acts upon a child. Deputy District Attorney Kristine Marie Reed agreed to dismiss his remaining charges.

The criminal complaint showed the charge to which he entered a guilty plea was for a felony involving lewd acts upon a female student in his classroom. The incident is believed to have occurred between Aug. 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008.

Reed and Berchtold’s attorney, Albert Ellis, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Support for Berchtold’s innocence has remained strong among some in the education community in the Manteca Unified School District since his arrest in July 2008. Although he entered an admission of guilt, his supporters still proclaim he didn’t do it.

“I don’t think he had a choice,” said Debi McLarty, a clerk at Woodward Elementary School in Manteca. “I totally still support him. Everybody I talk to can’t believe it. They don’t think he did it. They feel like he’s innocent.”

McLarty said she believed he took the offer to avoid prison time he might have received had he left his fate in the hands of a jury.

“It’s sad if you’re innocent and you can’t prove your case,” she said. “You have to say you did something just to stay out of jail.”

Berchtold on Tuesday, July 7, was ordered to report to adult probation and is expected back in court at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 18 to allow the court time to review his probation report. It was unknown whether he’ll be required to register as a sex offender.

MUSD officials have yet to weigh in on the matter regarding Berchtold’s teaching credentials. He was placed on administrative leave without pay in August 2008.

Manteca Unified Assistant Superintendent Don Halseth said he hadn’t received official notice from the court or law enforcement regarding Berchtold’s plea but said whether Berchtold will remain a teacher would be decided by a California teaching credential group in the Department of Education, not the school district.

Berchtold was hired by the district on Feb. 13, 2001.