Accused teacher free on bail of $250,000

Deepa Bharath

A 35-year-old substitute teacher from Huntington Beach arrested

Friday on suspicion of sexually assaulting several students posted a

$250,000 bail the same day, police said Monday.

Todd Jerome Haluch was arrested Friday on 13 counts of felony

sexual assault, all relating to female victims between 13 and 17

years of age, police said.

The alleged crimes were discovered after a therapist treating one

of the alleged victims reported the incident to the police.

Detectives who investigated the case determined that the alleged

assaults did take place and that there were more victims, Newport

Beach Police officials said.

Investigators also said they believe that there may be other

victims who have not yet been identified or who have not come

forward. Officials also said they do not know exactly when the

alleged crimes happened but said they could have happened over the

last three years.

Newport Beach Police Lt. John Klein said Monday that Haluch used

to teach at the junior high and high school level.

“We can’t release any more specific information because officers

are still investigating,” he said.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District Supt. Robert Barbot said

school officials know which school Haluch taught at, but could not

divulge that information because of the ongoing police investigation.

Barbot said he is “thankful to the police” for arresting Haluch.

Barbot added that there is no way for school officials to learn a

everything about a person through background checks, because much of

it is not on the record.

“We know about things when they are on the record,” he said. “But

when they’re not, it’s impossible for us to find out.”

Barbot said the state must bring about changes in legislation to

make sure such information is available, especially for background

checks relating to teaching positions.

“Our kids’ safety is at stake here,” he said.

Investigators said they believe Haluch assaulted at least one

Newport-Mesa Unified student. There may be more, police say.

Police are asking other victims to contact Det. John Hougan at the

Newport Beach Police Department 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.