Community Police & Fire
Jury finds former elementary school teacher guilty of molesting former students
A Pierce County Superior Court jury found a former teacher at Evergreen Elementary School guilty of child molestation in a verdict issued Monday, Jan. 5.
Prosecutors charged Jordan Roy Henderson, 36, with sexually assaulting four fourth- and fifth-grade girls. The girls were his students at the elementary school in Lakebay between 2022 and 2024.
The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for part of Dec. 31, all day on Jan. 2, and part of Jan. 5.
According to Pierce County court documents, Judge Alicia Burton scheduled Henderson’s sentencing for April 10.
Henderson “adamantly denies” any misconduct, according to documents filed by his attorney, Brett Purtzer of Heister Law Group of Tacoma.
Jordan Roy Henderson in court. Photo courtesy of Pfau, Cochran, Vertetis Amala PLLC.
Testimony
Henderson’s trial began Dec. 2, with testimony starting Dec. 9. Minutes of the court proceedings show that the prosecutors called about 20 witnesses to testify, including investigators, Peninsula School District employees and Henderson’s accusers.
Defense testimony began and ended on Dec. 29. Witnesses included one of Henderson’s colleagues, one minor witness and Henderson himself.
The News Tribune newspaper of Tacoma was the first to report the verdict.
The jury found Henderson guilty on 12 of the 13 counts of molestation, according to prosecutor’s office spokesman Adam Faber.
“The verdicts show that the jurors believed the girls,” Faber said in an email. “They testified on the stand, the defense had its chance to cross-examine them, and the jurors believed the girls.”
Henderson’s attorney expressed disappointment in the verdict and promised an appeal after sentencing.
“We’re both disappointed in the verdict. I think there was sufficient evidence to show a doubt was raised,” Purtzer said. “But obviously the jury didn’t see it that way. We respect what the jury decided, we’ve just got to keep moving forward.”
Families suing
Henderson no longer works for Peninsula School District, according to documents his attorney filed with the court.
He hasn’t been in a classroom since February 2024, when the district placed him on administrative leave after learning of the allegations. Sheriff’s deputies arrested him in April 2024.
Separate from the criminal trial, victims’ families sued the Peninsula School District in June 2024. The lawsuit alleges that the district displayed “gross negligence” by failing to stop the abuse.
“The jury has spoken loud and clear: Our community does not tolerate educators who sexually abuse children,” said Kevin Hastings, a lawyer for PCVA Attorneys at Law who is representing the families. “Now we must focus on how the sexual abuse was allowed to continue despite multiple reports to school administrators that Henderson was acting inappropriately with schoolgirls.”