Assistant principal in Hemet accused of sexually abusing students

An assistant principal at a high school in Hemet accused of engaging in sex acts with three male students is expected to ask a judge to lower her bail so she can get out of jail today.

Erin Renee Henton could face more than 30 years in prison if convictedof seven counts of statutory rape, four counts of oral copulation of a minorand distributing pornographic material to a child.

Henton, 45, is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the SouthwestDetention Center in Murrieta. She and her attorney, Jason Najarian, requested a bail review hearing before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Elaine Johnson in the hope of persuading the judge that the defendant is neither a flight risk or poses a danger to society.

Johnson has the discretion to lower Henton’s bail to whatever amount thejudge deems reasonable. The District Attorney’s Office is expected to arguethat the amount should remain as fixed.

According to Hemet police Lt. Duane Wisehart, the three alleged victimswere from Tahquitz High School, where Henton served as vice principal.

“The incidents are believed to have occurred over several months,”Wisehart said earlier. “The incidents did not occur on the school campus.”

The Hemet Unified School District suspended Henton on March 8 when theallegations first came to light.

Wisehart said detectives immediately initiated an investigation that ledto the identification of the alleged victims, whose identities were notreleased.