VICTORVILLE—(March 10) Mark Lesley Hassel, the former Barstow Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Academy principal who was arrested on January 16 and accused of having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl, has been charged with eight felony criminal charges.
Hassell came before Judge Raymond Haight for his arraignment on March 9 and pleaded not guilty to four counts of oral copulation with a minor, two charges of sodomy with a minor and two statutory rape charges. He is represented by attorney Jeffrey S. Bullard. He is being prosecuted by deputy district attorney Kathleen DiDonato.
Haight ordered Hassel to return to court on April 6 for a disposition hearing and to have no contact with the alleged victim, a student within the Barstow Unified School District, and no contact with any girl under the age of 18, except for his own children.