Investigators Suspect as Many as 400 Bogus Test Results
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced today that felony charges had been filed against five individuals believed to have organized and participated in an illegal cheating scheme that could have resulted in as many as 400 teachers receiving unearned certification statewide.
Mike Levine, a felony chief in the DA Office’s Public Corruption Division, estimated that the ring’s kingpin had grossed more than $1 million from the scheme.
Those charged are:
Vincent Grayson, 57, the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD. Grayson is charged as the organizer of the cheating scheme.
Tywana Gilford Mason, 51, the former director/VA certifying official at the Houston Training and Education Center. Mason’s role as test proctor allowed her to keep the proxy scheme undetected.
Nicholas Newton, 35, an assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD. Newton is alleged to have participated in the scheme as the proxy test-taker.
Darian Nikole Wilhite, 22, a proctor at TACTIX who is alleged to have taken bribes to allow Newton to act as a testing proxy.
LaShonda Roberts, 39, an assistant principal at Yates High School in Houston ISD. Roberts is charged with recruiting nearly 100 teachers to participate in the cheating scheme.
All five defendants are charged with two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity.