Washington state teacher accused of child molestation back in jail after alleged bail violation

Puneet Bsanti / The News Tribune (TNS)

A Peninsula School District fifth-grade teacher accused of molesting his students is back in Pierce County Jail for allegedly violating the terms of his pretrial release.

Jordan Roy Henderson, 34, faces nine counts of first-degree child molestation and allegedly molested three of his students multiple times while they were in his fourth and fifth grade classes, records show.

A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of Henderson on April 19 in Pierce County Superior Court. His bond was set at $100,000 and he was released the same day on an electronic home surveillance device after posting bond, according to court records.

Henderson was ordered to have no contact with minors, except for his biological children. He was also not allowed to go to church. Henderson is a deacon at Wellspring Fellowship Church on the Key Peninsula, where his father, Chris Henderson, is the pastor, a previous News Tribune article reported.

Prosecutors allege Henderson violated the pretrial services order when he allegedly held religious services at his Gig Harbor home where minors were present, documents show.

A neighbor reported to police that because Henderson couldn't go preach at his church, he was holding services at his home. The neighbor saw a large number of cars parked in front of his house and in the streets every Sunday. She alleged that numerous minors, who were not her own children, entered and left the home.

Sometime on May 10, the neighbor saw Henderson cleaning his yard when a young girl, approximately 4 to 5 years old, approached him. Henderson reportedly said, “Oh my God, there she is in a cute little skirt.” The neighbor said the girl was not Henderson's child.

Henderson Hearing Details

Henderson was taken into custody Thursday for alleged bail violations.

At a hearing Friday afternoon in Pierce County Superior Court, prosecutors Lindsay Chenelia and Christine Dickson requested that Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille increase his bond to $750,000 for the alleged violations.

Henderson's attorney, Brett Purtzer, denied his client violated the pretrial services agreement and urged the court not to increase his bond.

Purtzer said in court Friday that there were no children at church services at Henderson's home. The prosecution argued that the neighbor confirmed that the children attending the services were not Henderson's children because she knew what they looked like.

Purtzer and the prosecution went back and forth about the neighbor seeing Henderson talking to a child.

Purtzer said Henderson's home has Ring camera video footage that shows the neighbor walking her dog and a child approaching her client. He said the little girl was Henderson's daughter.

Chenelia argued it was possible the neighbor was referring to a time earlier or later in the day. She also said the neighbor did not say what time it happened.

Purtzer also told the court that an investigation was underway to determine whether Henderson had access to child pornography.

Detectives allegedly recovered child pornography accessed in 2017 from Henderson's computer. There would also have been an extensive research history into child pornography. Purtzer said there was no indication it was Henderson who had access to the pornography. Chenelia argued that the laptop where the pornographic searches came from was connected with Henderson's Google account.

McInvaille increased bail to $750,000 and said developments in the case greatly concerned her, including the alleged child pornography.

“I am very concerned about what has been discovered, because even the possession of this kind of material is against the law,” she said.

McInvaille ruled that if Henderson posts bail, he is not allowed to have religious services inside his home. Purtzer argued that the court was denying Henderson the right to practice his religion. McInvaille said she is not denying him that right and that he is free to practice his religion, but he simply cannot receive services in his home.

Henderson's father posted on the church's Facebook page April 18 that the church supported him. This was the last public message issued by the Church.

“While some would like you to focus on the alarm bells and your biggest fears about what you don't know, I want to confidently encourage you about what I do know,” the Facebook post reads. “I know Jordan is a man of the highest quality and character. He's a great husband, a great father, a great teacher.”

The Church and his family supported Henderson during his arraignment. Parishioners, Henderson's parents, his in-laws and his wife filled the first three rows of the courtroom gallery. Henderson's family members were also present during Friday's hearing.

Henderson was arrested on April 18 following a two-month investigation into the allegations. He is on administrative leave, according to the Peninsula School District.

One of the alleged victims spoke at her arraignment, saying she had nightmares and trauma.

“It's horrible. I can't sleep without crying. I fall asleep crying and I can't look at a school building without being triggered,” the child said through tears. “I’m afraid he’ll come back.”

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