Texas AG announces indictments against 5 people who are charged in scheme endangering teacher certifications
Vincent Grayson (left), Nicholas Newtown (middle), and Lashonda Roberts (right)
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - Texas Attorney Ken Paxton announced indictments against five people involved in a scheme to help unqualified individuals fraudulently obtain Texas teacher certifications.
According to a release from Paxton, the operation enabled aspiring teachers, who could not pass the Texas Education Agency licensing exams on their own, to fraudulently obtain passing scores.
The defendants include Vincent Grayson, 57, the alleged scheme organizer; Nicolas Newton, 35, Tywana Gilford Mason, 51, Darian Wilhite, 22, and LaShonda Roberts, 39. Each defendant is charged with two felony counts of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity. The defendants face up to 20 years of incarceration for their role in the scheme.
Get news, weather and so much more on the new FOX LOCAL app
The operation involved teacher candidates paying Grayson to arrange for Newton to complete the TEA licensing exams on their behalf. Candidates would enter a testing center, provide their identification to a cooperating employee, and leave while Newton completed the exams in their place, allowing unqualified individuals to falsely obtain certification.
The investigation was conducted by Attorney General Paxton’s Criminal Investigations Division, in cooperation with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Education Agency.