Updated charges against Jesse Rex Orndoff, 30, include sex abuse, online sexual corruption of a minor, luring of a minor and using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct

Former Rogue River Junior-Senior High School teacher Jesse Rex Orndoff pleaded not guilty Wednesday to 16 felony counts relating to the alleged sexual abuse of a student over a three-year period.

Orndoff, 30, appeared stoic in jeans and a dark green dress shirt before Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Laura Cromwell. He was accompanied by two family members and quickly left the courtroom after entering his plea. When asked for a statement, Orndoff declined to comment to local media.

Cromwell scheduled a pre-trial conference for June 2. Orndoff remains out of jail on bail, which was set Feb. 18 at $500,000, meaning he would have had to post 10 percent bond.

Initially arraigned on 30 counts — 10 each of second-degree sex abuse, third-degree rape and third-degree sodomy  — a Feb. 20 convening of the county Grand Jury resulted in the 16 updated charges.

Orndoff pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to 12 second-degree sexual abuse charges; two counts of first-degree online sexual corruption of a child; and one count each of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct and luring a minor.

According to a Feb. 14 statement by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office following Orndoff’s arrest, a victim named in court documents reported to law enforcement Feb. 13 that she had been the victim of sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by her teacher and coach, Orndoff, while she was a student at Rogue River Junior-Senior High School.

The dozen counts of second-degree sexual abuse, according to court documents, included numerous instances in which Orndoff “did unlawfully and knowingly subject (the victim) to sexual intercourse, the said (victim) not consenting thereto.”

On two counts of online corruption, court documents state Orndoff used “an online communication to solicit a child to engage in sexual contact and/or sexually explicit conduct” and took steps to meet with the victim.

On the single count of using a child in display of sexually explicit conduct, court documents state Orndoff “did unlawfully and knowingly employ, authorize, permit, compel or induce (the victim), a child, to participate in or engage in sexually explicit conduct for a person to observe, record in a photograph, record in a motion picture, record in a videotape or record in a visual recording.”

The single count of luring a minor states that Orndoff did “unlawfully and knowingly furnish to or use with a minor a visual representation, an explicit verbal description or a narrative account of sexual conduct, for the purpose of inducing the minor to engage in sexual conduct.”

The victim reported that the sexual abuse occurred over the span of several years, while she was between the ages of 15 and 17. 

Orndoff no longer works at Rogue River Junior-Senior High School but was most recently employed by Rogue Christian Academy in Grants Pass. Sheriff’s officials said both schools are cooperating with the investigation.

According to the website for Rogue Christian Academy, Orndoff led the math and science departments for the school. 

Court documents show Orndoff filed for divorce against his former wife in 2022. 

Investigators believe Orndoff may have additional victims. If anyone has information related to the case, they are asked to contact Detective David Seese at the JCSO Tip Line: 541: 774-8333. 

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or bpollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.