Oroville >> A former Las Plumas High School physical education teacher was sentenced Wednesday to three years of probation and 120 days in jail for having sex with two male students.

Butte County Superior Court Judge James Reilley sentenced Lindsay Himmelspach, 33, for two felony counts of unlawful sexual intercourse stemming from her sexual relationships with two 17-year-old students of the high school.

Judge Reilley granted probation for Himmelspach, citing her lack of a prior criminal record, her apparent feelings of remorse and her willingness to comply with the terms of probation.

The judge did not immediately make a decision regarding whether Himmelspach will be required to register as a sex offender. He set a hearing for Aug. 3 to consider arguments from Himmelspach’s attorney, Grady Davis, and prosecutor Jennifer Bennett.

Himmelspach pleaded guilty as charged in April to two counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Prosecutors said Himmelspach’s sexual relationships with the two students occurred between May 15, 2015, and Sept. 15, 2015.

Himmelspach was arrested Oct. 30 at Las Plumas High School, after the superintendent of the Oroville Union High School District alerted the Butte County Sheriff’s Office to a possible inappropriate relationship between a high school teacher and a student, deputies have said. Himmelspach had been teaching for about 10 years.

The former teacher faced a maximum term of three years, eight months in prison, prosecutors have said.

Before Himmelspach was sentenced, the mother of one of the victims addressed the court, saying her son has shown signs of depression, anger and has threatened to kill himself following his relationship with Himmelspach.

The mother described Himmelspach as a “sexual predator” who preyed on students. The mother said when she asked her son questions about the incident, all he said was, “She was my teacher, mom. What was I supposed to do?”

Bennett did not argue with a recommendation from probation officers to place Himmelspach on probation, but she told the judge she disagreed with some of the officers’ conclusions, including that the victims in the case were not “particularly vulnerable” or that the crime did not require special sophistication and planning.

The prosecutor said Himmelspach’s sexual acts with the students required her to set up a time and place to meet the boys away from school to avoid being caught.

Bennett noted there are two separate victims in the case, and Himmelspach’s relationships with the two students occurred about a month apart from each other.

The prosecutor said the former teacher abused her position of power and trust by having sex with two 17-year-old boys, adding that Himmelspach also exchanged sexually explicit videos with the victims.

Davis, Himmelspach’s attorney, said his client is “extremely remorseful” for her conduct. He said Himmelspach was not deceitful and immediately admitted her guilt when contacted by the authorities.

Regarding the possibility that Himmelspach could be required to register as a sex offender, Davis told the judge that his client is not likely to commit another sexual crime. The defense attorney called his client’s sexual relationships with the high school students an “isolated act” that has brought her shame.

Bennett countered, saying the case could not be described as an “isolated act.”

“That’s clear from the pattern of events,” the prosecutor said.

Himmelspach remained out of custody ahead of the start of her jail term in July.

Contact reporter Andre Byik at 896-7760.