A former Mid-Pacific Institute teacher has pleaded no contest to sexually assaulting a young student in his Honolulu classroom, a grim outcome for the school community but one that brings the case close to a resolution.

• Casey Link, who taught third and fourth grade, admitted no contest to two counts of third-degree sexual assault, and the judge found him guilty on both.
• Prosecutors said he repeatedly groped the girl during class, including during story time with other students present, between 2022 and 2023.
• The child was ten years old when the abuse was reported; she had Link as her teacher for two straight years.
• The most serious charge was dropped as part of a plea deal, and two of the original four counts were resolved with the no-contest plea.
• Mid-Pacific said it reported the allegation to authorities in December 2023, put Link on leave, and fired him after an independent investigation.

Outlook: Link is scheduled to be sentenced on February 3.