Home / Crime and Justice / Teacher gets life sentence for student abuse
Teacher gets life sentence for student abuse
9 May
Summary
- Former teacher Jordan Roy Henderson sentenced to 66 years to life.
- Four young students testified about classroom sexual assaults.
- Victims' mothers shared lasting trauma and fear.
- The judge emphasized the profound impact on the girls' lives.
A former Pierce County elementary school teacher, Jordan Roy Henderson, received a sentence of 66 years to life in prison on Friday. This follows his conviction in January on 12 counts of first-degree child molestation. Henderson, 36, was found guilty after four young female students testified about instances of sexual assault occurring in his classroom at Evergreen Elementary School.
The sentencing hearing in Pierce County Superior Court highlighted the severe and lasting impact of Henderson's actions. Mothers of two victims urged the judge to impose a maximum sentence, recounting their daughters' ongoing struggles with mental health and a shattered sense of trust. One mother shared her daughter's fear, leading her to hide knives for protection, while another detailed how her daughter was groomed over two school years.
Judge Alicia Burton imposed high-end sentences for each victim and ordered them to be served consecutively. Henderson will be required to register as a sex offender for life, with his release determined by the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board. His defense attorney argued for a lesser sentence, comparing it unfavorably to sentences for murder convictions. The judge acknowledged the immense courage of the young victims in coming forward and testifying, recognizing Henderson's profound abuse of his position.
