Syracuse, NY --The Syracuse man who walked into an elementary school and molested a first-grade teacher in front of her class, pleaded guilty this morning and was promised a sentence of 12-years to life.

Garth Hill, 28, of 2100 Bellevue Ave. pleaded guilty to third-degree burglary and first-degree sexual abuse, both felonies.

Hill admitted that on Oct. 29, he entered the McKinley-Brighton Elementary School, walked into a first grade classroom and submitted the teacher to sexual contact by force.

Read our previous coverage.

The sentence was "very appropriate," said Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Cali.

"If someone is willing to walk into a school, and into a classroom of 6 and 7 year olds, and sexually assault a teacher, he needs to be locked up," Cali said.

Defense attorney Thomas Ryan agreed that the promised sentence is appropriate. If convicted at trial, his client would have faced 25-years to life, he said.

Ryan said his client was under the influence of drugs when he entered the school.

"Otherwise, I don't believe he would have been there," Ryan said.

Hill already has two violent felonies on his record, for attempted criminal possession of a loaded weapon in the third degree and second-degree assault. As a result, his minimum sentence will be bumped up from a maximum 7 years for the sex abuse charges to a minimum of 12 years to life, Onondaga County Judge Anthony Aloi said.

A sentence of 2 to 4 years for burglary would be served consecutively, the judge said.

The burglary charge accused HIll of being in the school illegally.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 27.

Hill was accused of entering the school, subjecting one teacher to sexual contact by force in front of her class, and fondling another teacher in the hallway afterward. The charges he pleaded guilty this morning satisfies both incidents.

Hill fled when confronted by an administrator, but left his wallet behind and was identified by witnesses, officials said.