A 65-year-old man pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to helping set up a sham marriage to allow a Chinese man, described as his lover, to remain in the United States.

Bob Loren, a Spanish teacher at Radford High School who was placed on administrative leave when he was indicted last year, admitted to participating in the conspiracy to set up a 2005 sham marriage between an O'ahu woman and Hang Duan from China.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang scheduled Loren's sentencing for Aug. 27.

The conspiracy charge carries a prison term of up to five years, but under a plea agreement, the prosecution and defense agreed that the federal advisory sentencing guidelines recommend a lighter sentence that could go as low as less than a year in jail.

Federal authorities said Loren had been teaching English in China when he met Duan and the two began a romantic relationship.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Hino said the case did not involve a gay marriage situation. The reason for the marriage was to allow Duan to go to school here as opposed to staying here to be with Loren, Hino said.

Three others charged in the case also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. Duan, 21, was sentenced to six months in prison. Julia Bivit-Padello and her daughter, Shara Padello, are awaiting sentencing.

Loren admitted the conspiracy involved Duan paying Padello money in exchange for marrying him. Padello and Duan were married in 2005 in Halawa, according to court documents.

Reach Ken Kobayashi at kkobayashi@honoluluadvertiser.com.