A Kansas University lecturer who won the university’s 2014 Honor for an Outstanding Progressive Educator award last fall is serving a sentence of two years’ probation after a Johnson County district judge found him guilty of stalking and protection order violations.

Originally charged with felony burglary and felony theft, David Pendergrass pleaded no contest to amended charges of misdemeanor reckless stalking and two misdemeanor violations of a protection order in a plea deal on Jan. 20.

David Pendergrass

The crime occurred after a Leawood woman, who is not a student, filed a protection from stalking order against Pendergrass in late April, and Pendergrass, 56, filed one against her in return the following week.

Less than a month later, the burglary and theft charges were filed against Pendergrass after he entered the woman’s home and stole jewelry and a safe worth about $2,500, according to court documents

Pendergrass was in the midst of court hearings on the charges when he was honored with the HOPE award at a KU football game in Lawrence last fall. The HOPE award honors one educator out of all of KU’s campuses and is decided by the university’s senior class each year.

Pendergrass, a Ph.D. holder who has taught at the university for more than 12 years, administers the molecular biosciences degree program at KU’s Edwards Campus in Overland Park and teaches graduate biology. KU spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said Tuesday that Pendergrass remains a current university employee.

Before coming to KU, he taught at the University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Medicine and Johnson County Community College.

Pendergrass’ attorney, Ryan Ginie, was not available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

An earlier version of the story listed Pendergrass as a professor. In actuality, he is a lecturer for the university, Barcomb-Peterson said.