A former Gustine High School vice principal has entered a no‑contest plea in a Merced County case involving a student on the Gustine campus — a development that has renewed questions among parents and educators about how he later secured administrative positions in Modesto.

Brian Chubon, 53, pleaded no contest on Jan. 14 to one felony count of unlawful intercourse with a 17‑year‑old student. Prosecutors say the conduct occurred in the spring of 2022 while Chubon was serving as vice principal at Gustine High School.

Court records show that a second charge — oral copulation with a minor — was dismissed by prosecutors as part of the proceedings. Chubon has stated that he has not admitted guilt to any of the allegations brought against him.

A criminal complaint was filed in 2024 in Merced County Superior Court. The no‑contest plea resolves the case without an admission of guilt but carries the same legal effect as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes.

After leaving Merced County, Chubon relocated to Stanislaus County and was hired by Modesto City Schools. District officials confirmed he became assistant principal at Mark Twain Junior High School in July 2022 and was promoted to principal at Roosevelt Junior High School in July 2025. He is no longer employed by the district.

Modesto City Schools said in a statement that the alleged conduct involved a former student from outside the district and that Chubon passed a background check when he was hired. The district also said it was unaware of the Merced County criminal investigation at the time, describing the information it received from Merced County agencies as “inconsistent with the processes normally taken in these situations.”

The Merced County Office of Education responded that it followed state protocol, including a Department of Justice Live Scan background check, and noted that criminal charges were not filed until after Chubon had already begun working in Modesto.

The case has renewed scrutiny in Gustine, where parents and former students say they were stunned to learn that a vice principal accused of misconduct on their campus was later able to move into another administrative role elsewhere in the region. Some have questioned why the allegations did not surface sooner and how the hiring process allowed Chubon to continue working with students.

Concerns over gaps in background‑check procedures prompted state lawmakers to pass Assembly Bill 2534 in 2025, requiring teachers and administrators to disclose prior employers and mandating that school districts verify allegations, including those involving abuse.

Chubon’s sentencing will be determined in upcoming proceedings in Merced County under California law.