Newport police arrest teacher

Deepa Bharath

Police arrested a 35-year-old substitute teacher Friday morning on

suspicion of sexually assaulting several female students, police

officials said.

Todd Jerome Haluch, of Huntington Beach, worked as a substitute

teacher in Newport-Mesa, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove and Los

Alamitos school districts over the last several years, although he

has not taught in any school district this fall, Newport Beach Police

Sgt. Steve Shulman said.

“We know for sure that at least one of the victims was from

Newport-Mesa Unified,” he said. The victims were between 13 and 17

years of age, Shulman said.

Newport Beach Police initiated the investigation and it is likely

the department will continue to handle the case even if additional

victims come forward, he said.

The alleged crimes were discovered after a therapist treating a

victim reported the incident to the police, Shulman said. He said

doctor-patient confidentiality did not apply to this situation

because the therapist was a “mandated reporter.”

The law states people in certain professions such as medicine or

law enforcement are mandated reporters -- which means they must

report certain types of offenses to the police.

“For example, if a child comes into the emergency room with

injuries and the ER doctor suspects abuse, then he is required to

report that to the police,” Shulman said.

Detectives who investigated the case determined that the alleged

assaults did take place and that there were more victims, he said.

Investigators also said they believe that there may be other victims

who have not yet been identified or who have not come forward and

that some of the crimes may have happened over several years, Shulman

said.

“We don’t know exactly when the incidents happened, but we believe

they happened over three years,” he said.

Newport-Mesa Unified Supt. Robert Barbot said he is pleased with

Haluch’s arrest.

“Usually, we’re very careful when we hire teachers,” he said. “We

obviously do background checks, but in this case, there was nothing

in terms of background until [Friday] when police made the arrest.”

Barbot said school officials are still looking into Haluch’s history

with Newport-Mesa Unified.

“We know for sure he did not sub this fall and he hasn’t subbed

for us in quite a while,” he said. “We don’t have all the details

about him yet. We’re still looking into it.”

Haluch is not the first Newport-Mesa Unified teacher to be

arrested on suspicion of a sex crime this year. In March, 32-year-old

John Ronald Evans, a popular math teacher and soccer coach at Corona

del Mar High School, was arrested on suspicion of having a sexual

relationship with a student, police said.

Evans, who posted his $50,000 bail, was placed on administrative

leave by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District pending the outcome

of the investigation.

Haluch is being held in Orange County jail in lieu of a $250,000

bail. He is likely to be arraigned Monday or Tuesday at Harbor

Justice Center. Police are recommending that he be charged with 13

felony counts of sexual assault.

Police are asking other victims to contact the Newport Beach

Police or to get help from their parents. Those wishing to talk to

the police may call Det. John Hougan at (949) 644-3790.

* DEEPA BHARATH covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at deepa.bharath@latimes.com.