FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- A professor at Colorado State University has accepted a plea bargain that cleared him of sex-related charges relating to an alleged assault on his stepdaughter, the Fort Collins Coloradoan reported Thursday.

According to the report, Boris Kondratieff, 52, entered an Alford plea to misdemeanor assault and harassment charges Wednesday and received a two-year deferred sentence.

An Alford plea allows a defendant to enter in to a plea bargain without admitting guilt, but acknowledging there is sufficient evidence that the defendant might be found guilty, according to Answers.com.

The original charges against Kondratieff stemmed from an alleged incident two years ago in which he was accused of inappropriately touching his stepdaughter when she climbed into his bed.

Police said Kondratieff told them he touched her, thinking she was his wife, according to the newspaper.

Police arrested Kondratieff on Jan. 28 on suspicion of incest, and sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust after the alleged 2003 incident. At the time, the girl was less than 15 years old, according to court records.

The allegations came to light after the girl told her school counselor who informed authorities.

Kondratieff is a tenured entomology professor at CSU who teaches one senior level class.