Attorney General Ken Paxton Announces Indictments Against Participants In “Pay-To-Pass” Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Texas Teacher Certifications

AUSTIN, TX -- A grand jury in Harris County has issued indictments against five individuals involved in a scheme to help unqualified individuals fraudulently obtain Texas teacher certifications. The operation enabled aspiring teachers, who could not pass the Texas Education Agency (“TEA”) 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.

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.