The teenager accused of attacking three other students with a knife this past November at Pella Middle School entered a guilty plea in Marion County District Court.

According to the Marion County Attorney’s Office, 14-year-old Noah Vandermolen has agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted murder, a Class B felony, one count of willful injury, a class D felony, and one count of assault with intent to inflict serious injury. The other three charges were dismissed as part of the agreement. The plea happened in District Court, where he was being tried as a youthful offender.

Marion County Attorney Jared Harmon explained that Juvenile Court will next have a hearing determining what services Vandermolen must complete to help rehabilitate him. One option for the court would be the State Training School in Eldora.

A hearing was also scheduled in District Court for July of 2028. As part of the youthful offender framework, Noah will be sentenced as an adult just before his 18th birthday. At sentencing, he could face up to 32 years in prison. However, as part of the plea agreement, the state agreed to not ask for more than 25 years.