Stephen Hill, right, a former WCPO investigative reporter, is led into the Hamilton County Common Pleas Courtroom of Judge David P. Davis Thursday afternoon. (Gary Landers/The Enquirer)

A former WCPO-TV (Channel 9) reporter will spend five years in prison for sexually abusing four teenage boys.

Stephen Hill, 45, pleaded guilty Thursday to four charges of sexual battery. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped another four charges of sexual battery, four charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and the possibility of a life term. .

Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge David Davis convicted Hill and set sentencing for Nov. 10. At that time, Davis will also have a sexual offender hearing that will determine how long, if at all, Hill must register his address with the sheriff's office in the county where he lives after being released.

Rick Gibson, an assistant Hamilton County prosecutor, said he will ask Davis to classify Hill a sexual predator. That would require Hill to register his address for the rest of his life and the community would be notified about where he is living.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen agreed to the plea to spare the victims from having to testify at a trial, which was scheduled for Tuesday.

"The decision to accept a plea from the defendant as well as the determination of the number of years of incarceration were made after full discussion with the victims and their family, and with their full support," Allen said.

The boys and their grandmother attended the hearing. They did not want to comment.

Ken Lawson, Hill's lawyer, said he was pleased with the five-year sentence.

"You never want to take the chance on doing life in prison," he said.

Hill was involved in a mentoring program during which the four victims - three brothers and a cousin - were in his care.

During their time together, Hill is accused of blindfolding the victims, presenting himself as a woman and engaging them in various forms of sexual conduct, police said.

Hill videotaped the sexual encounters, police said.

When the boys discovered it was Hill and not a woman, they confronted him, prompting Hill to give the boys a $2,000 check to keep quiet, prosecutors said.

Hill, who joined WCPO-TV in 1989, was fired in March.

The victims are suing Hill. That case is pending.

E-mail scoolidge@enquirer.com