A former Ojai schoolteacher has copped a plea in a case involving multiple sex crimes against a student, according to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. Paul Herder, who hails from Pahoa, Hawaii and was a teacher at the Oak Grove School, has pleaded guilty to six felony counts as part of a predatory relationship that spanned from 2013 to 2017.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko's announcement made clear that the individual in question, Herder, born March 20, 1958, will be facing a significant sentence for his crimes. Among the charges are two counts of luring, digital and oral copulation of the minor, unlawful sexual intercourse, and using a minor for sex acts. A special allegation was also admitted by Herder for exploiting a position of trust to commit these offenses, according to the DA's press release.

The case unfolded after a former student, now an adult, brought the past transgressions to light. These revelations led to an investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, which began in February 2023. Subsequent collaboration with detectives from the Hawaii Police Department resulted in Herder’s arrest on June 12, 2023, and his extradition back to Ventura County took place on July 31, 2023.

Deputy District Attorney Emily Reber, a prosecutor with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office Sexual Assault Unit, spearheaded the legal proceedings. She stated, “For too long, the defendant had gotten away with the terrible crimes and abuse of a trust he perpetrated on the underage victim,” emphasizing the gravity of the betrayal and ensuing justice. Herder's day of reckoning has been scheduled for April 29, 2024, where he is expected to be handed down a 6-year and 8-month sentence in state prison.