Ex-Pierce County elementary teacher who molested students sentenced to prison
The former Pierce County elementary school teacher convicted of inappropriately touching four students was sentenced Friday to 66 years to life in prison.
Jordan Roy Henderson, 36, was found guilty by a jury of 12 counts of first-degree child molestation in January, with an aggravating factor that he used his position of trust to facilitate the crimes. He was teaching at Evergreen Elementary School near Lakebay when a Sheriff’s Office investigation into allegations reported by students was announced in 2024.
At trial, four girls who were students in Henderson’s 4th and/or 5th grade class testified that the teacher sexually assaulted them. According to prosecutors’ sentencing memorandum, the girls described times in the classroom where Henderson touched their butts, vaginal areas or breasts. One student said she felt Henderson’s erect penis on her back when he embraced her from behind.
Henderson testified in his defense, denying that he ever touched the girls sexually or that he had any child sit on his lap.
At sentencing Friday in Pierce County Superior Court, the mothers of two victims urged Judge Alicia Burton to impose a maximum sentence. They described how Henderson’s actions still affected their children’s mental health and trust in teachers.
One mother told the judge that her daughter had hidden kitchen knives under her pillow because she feared Henderson would come back to harm her. The other said her daughter was groomed and molested over two school years, and she has nightmares about Henderson.
“He can’t be trusted,” the mother said in court. “I once trusted him, only for him to molest my daughter and steal her innocence.”
Burton ordered Henderson to serve high-end sentences for offenses committed against each of his four victims. He will serve those punishments consecutively. Because he was convicted of sex offenses, Henderson will register as a sex offender for life, and the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board will decide when or if he is released.
The judge also ordered that Henderson have only supervised visitation with his two daughters, ages 6 and 1, until they turn 18. Burton noted that prosecutors had credible evidence of Henderson’s possession of child pornography and searches involving incest and father-daughter sexual abuse.
Prosecutors had asked that Henderson not be allowed to have any contact with his daughters. Burton chose a lesser restriction, stating that she took to heart the comments of Henderson’s wife, Katie, who said in court that she had never had any concern about leaving her daughters in Henderson’s care. She said she believed keeping them from him would cause irreparable harm. Burton said she struggled with the idea of Henderson’s two sons being able to see him and not his two other children.
Evidence about child pornography found on Henderson’s computer during the criminal investigation was excluded from trial. A police report filed in the case said detectives found over 200 images and one video on his laptop depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Henderson’s defense attorney, Brett Purtzer, said in court that the laptop was found in a back closet and that nothing on it had been accessed since 2017.
Deputy prosecuting attorney Christine Dickson said during her sentencing recommendation that there was a link between the material depicting pre-teen girls and the profile of Henderson’s victims.
Prosecutors had already submitted a memorandum notifying the court they were seeking a sentence of 66 years to life, but Dickson said in court Friday that new information had come up that furthered the state’s belief that a sentence above the standard range of about 12-16 years to life was necessary to protect the community.
Dickson said that a pre-sentencing investigation found that Henderson was having contact with his minor nieces and nephews when he was on electronic home monitoring pretrial, in violation of court orders.
“Which shows that he’s not motivated to improve himself and prevent further victimization,” Dickson said. “His absolute disregard for the court orders that were put in place to protect children in the community shows that he is a danger to the community.”
Purtzer later disputed that, saying Henderson had been confined to his home, and he didn’t have any contact with anyone.
Dickson also said 29 people in Henderson’s life had written letters of support for him. More than a dozen people were in the courtroom gallery in support of him, and at least 20 people sat on the other side of the gallery in support of the victims. Dickson said Henderson wanted the court to see him as an upstanding member of the community.
“What the state sees here is that the defendant surrounds himself with people who enable him and fail to take him, fail to hold him accountable for his actions,” Dickson said.
Purtzer later took time to say that people who are supporting Henderson can’t be castigated for supporting someone who they love and have known for most of their lives.
“These are people that care about him and will continue to care about him after today,” Purtzer said.
Henderson had the support of his family and church, Wellspring Fellowship Church on the Key Peninsula, throughout his case. He was a deacon there, and his father was the pastor when Henderson was arrested in 2024.
Although Henderson initially posted a $100,000 bail bond to be released to home detention, he was later remanded to custody for violating conditions of his release. He had been ordered to not attend church or have contact with minors, and prosecutors presented evidence that Henderson had hosted religious services at his Gig Harbor home with children present. A judge increased his bail to $750,000, which Henderson posted within days.
Purtzer requested a 14 year, six months sentence in the middle of the standard sentencing range. He said that the state’s recommendation of 66 years was not supported, and that someone who was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder would see less time in prison.
“This is not a multiple homicide case,” Purtzer said. “The child molestation in the first degree, the punishments are significant, and it’s a significant amount of time that can be imposed by staying within the standard range.”
Purtzer also emphasized that his client was convicted of inappropriately touching his students rather than groping them or fondling.
Henderson, who appeared in court in a brown and pink jail uniform, declined to speak when given the opportunity by Burton.
While Burton imposed Henderson’s sentence, she commended the strength and courage the girls possessed to report their abuse and then testify at trial. Burton said the evidence established that Henderson had profoundly affected the girls’ lives and abused his position of trust. She said the sentence accurately reflected the scope, repetition and seriousness of the conduct proved at trial, the individual harm suffered by each victim and the profound violation of trust inherent in the offenses.
“This case has shaken a community and altered the lives of all involved,” Burton said.
This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 2:45 PM.
