Ex-Forney ISD principal, special ed teacher indicted after allegedly concealing teacher's background, federal prosecutors say
A federal grand jury has indicted a former Forney ISD elementary school principal and a special education teacher on charges they conspired to circumvent district hiring safeguards, authorities said.
According to the seven-count indictment, Michael Raymond Roell, also known as Johnathan Michael, and former Crosby Elementary Principal Wendy Bailey allegedly concealed Roell's prior criminal charges and disciplinary history during the district's hiring process.
Prosecutors said Roell legally changed his name after a previous arrest for indecency with a child and multiple abuse-related leave placements in other school districts.
"Principal Bailey coached Roell on how that name change would evade a background check," U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould of the Northern District of Texas said during a recent news conference.
"This indictment demonstrates the lengths these two defendants went to circumvent a hiring process meant to keep our schools and students safe," FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock said.
Roell and Bailey each face one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud, Raybould said in a news release.
Prosecutors allege Roell was arrested in Dallas County in 2016 on a charge of indecency with a child after accusations that "he touched at least one student in the groin area and observed the student as they used the restroom" while working for Garland ISD. The district later terminated him.
The indictment says Bailey knew about Roell's history but helped him through Forney ISD's hiring process without disclosing it.
Investigators allege Roell, with Bailey's encouragement, submitted an application that omitted his former identity, criminal charges, and employment disciplinary history.
Bailey allegedly promoted Roell's candidacy and participated in hiring communications that helped advance his application.
Prosecutors said emails, texts, and employment documents show coordination between Bailey and Roell to conceal his background.
Roell was hired in October 2025 as a special education teacher at Crosby Elementary, earning about $67,700 annually. He remained employed until May 2026, when the Texas Rangers arrested him on separate state charges of felony child abuse and grooming.
"A school is supposed to be a place where children are safe and protected, not a place where an educator with a known history of misconduct can walk back into a classroom because someone in a position of authority helped him hide who he really was – a predator that targets special needs children," Raybould said.
Roell has been in federal custody since Aug. 27, authorities said.
If convicted on the federal charges, Roell and Bailey could face up to 20 years in prison, along with forfeiture of proceeds connected to the alleged offenses.
The FBI Dallas Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, and the Texas Rangers participated in the investigation.
According to Raybould, the case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Schools, a federal initiative targeting failures to report educator misconduct and the practice commonly called "passing the trash."
CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.
