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A former teacher's assistant at a Weber County public charter school has pleaded guilty to what amounts to "sexting" with a 14-year-old female student.

Zachary Arrington, 21, was charged in December in Ogden's 2nd District Court with sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony, along with charges of sexual abuse of a minor student, two counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor, and obstructing justice, all third-degree felonies. He was also charged with misdemeanor enticing or soliciting a minor by Internet or text.

This week, Arrington — who worked at Quest Academy in West Haven — pleaded guilty to a reduced third-degree felony count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, third-degree felony obstructing justice and a reduced class A misdemeanor count of attempted dealing in material harmful to a minor. Three other counts were dismissed.

Arrington admitted in plea documents that he sent the girl a picture of his genitals, received a nude picture of the girl, and that he deleted texts, pictures and contact information from his cell phone.

He potentially faces up to five years in prison on each of the third-degree felonies when he is sentenced June 9 by Judge Noel Hyde.

According to charging documents, the girl told police in November that Arrington began contacting her through text and the cellphone social media app SnapChat. They met several times in a park, she said, and he kissed her on the forehead.

Police say the relationship then progressed into something more sexual.

"Several conversations were found [on their phones] that were sexual in nature and consisted of talk about how Zachary and the victim wanted to perform different sexual acts with each other," according to charges.

When Arrington was interviewed by police in early November, he allegedly admitted to talking about showering with the teen and performing oral sex on one another, and admitted to sending two pictures of his genitals to the girl on SnapChat.

Arrington also admitted to police that he met the girl in a West Haven park, where they "laid on top of each other and would put pressure on each other's pelvic area," according to charges.

Arrington also told police that he once went to the teen's home with the intention of having sex, but he had a hard time finding the house and once he arrived, was told the girl's father would be home soon, according to charges.

Weber County sheriff's Lt. Lane Findlay has said they began investigating Arrington after rumors of the relationship began spreading around the school and was brought to the attention of school officials. Arrington was fired from Quest Academy in October, according to Findlay.

Principal Dave Bullock has said that a background check for Arrington was completed and cleared at the time he was hired.