A Saginaw Public Schools substitute teacher and assistant football coach was arraigned Friday on a single count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after prosecutors said DNA evidence tied him to the alleged rape of a 15-year-old student inside a classroom at Saginaw United High School. Judge Elian E.H. Fichtner denied bond for 27-year-old Lance B. Henderson II, who has no attorney currently attached to his case but has said he plans to hire one.
According to MLive.com, prosecutors allege Henderson raped the teen in an empty classroom during school hours on May 15 at the school, located at 1903 N. Niagara St. Police arrested Henderson on a warrant Thursday. Prosecutors said the student reported the incident to authorities and medical staff immediately, and she later underwent a sexual assault examination that included the collection of samples, which were submitted to the Michigan State Police crime lab for analysis.
Per prosecutors, that analysis found DNA recovered from the teen's genitals matched Henderson's DNA at a probability rate of more than 2 million to one. Prosecutors wrote that this evidence makes Henderson's guilt evident, and they urged the court to deny him bond, describing him as a threat to the public. Henderson has denied having sexual contact with the teen and, per prosecutors, accused her of having sex with another student on the property.
No Legal Defense for Consent, Prosecutors Say
Prosecutors wrote that consent is not a defense in this case, so there is no innocent explanation for the finding. Under Michigan law, consent is legally negated when an adult accused of sexual penetration is a teacher, substitute teacher, or otherwise holds a position of authority over a student enrolled in the district, according to RAINN. First-degree criminal sexual conduct is a life offense under Michigan Penal Code Section 750.520b, meaning Henderson could face imprisonment for life or any term of years if convicted, per the Michigan Legislature. A conviction would also trigger mandatory Tier III lifetime registration on the state's public sex offender registry along with lifetime electronic monitoring, according to the Davis Law Group.
Prosecutors said Henderson intentionally sought a position of trust in a school where he had access to children, including special needs children, and that he violently broke that trust by forcefully raping a child in his care. Henderson had worked as an assistant boys football coach for Saginaw Public Schools during the 2025-26 season and separately as a substitute teacher placed through Educational Staffing Solutions, a national PreK-12 staffing agency that recruits and screens substitute teachers for districts nationwide, per the firm's own description of its work.
District Removed Henderson, Superintendent Says
Saginaw Public Schools removed Henderson as a substitute teacher once the district became aware of the allegations. Superintendent Dr. Ramont M. Roberts said the district prioritizes the safety and well-being of students and that Saginaw Public Schools will continue to work with law enforcement, but he declined further comment, citing respect for the legal process. Roberts has led the district since 2018 and previously served as principal of Saginaw High School before spearheading the $100 million bond campaign that built Saginaw United, according to Saginaw Public Schools.
Saginaw United High School opened in September 2024 as an $85 million, 212,000-square-foot campus that consolidated longtime rivals Arthur Hill High School and Saginaw High School after voters approved the bond in November 2020, per Wikipedia. The district serves roughly 5,000 students across 16 facilities and employs more than 280 teachers throughout Saginaw County.
Second ESS Substitute Arrest in Six Months
Michigan law requires all K-12 public school contractors and substitute teachers to pass fingerprint-based criminal history background checks through the Michigan State Police and the FBI before entering classrooms, under the state's Revised School Code. State law also strictly bars districts and staffing contractors from placing anyone with a designated sex offense conviction in a school environment, according to Justia Law.
This is not the first time an ESS substitute has drawn scrutiny in Saginaw County this year. In February, county school districts issued a joint advisory after another substitute teacher employed through the same staffing agency was arrested on child exploitation charges in an unrelated investigation, prompting six districts to notify staff and families at the time.
Henderson is scheduled to appear for a preliminary examination on September 3 in Saginaw County. No attorney is currently listed for him, though he has said he intends to hire private counsel before that hearing.
