A North Texas teacher accused of sending sexual messages and photos to students in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District has been charged with lying to federal investigators about the communications.
A federal grand jury indicted Landon Ray Beck, 32, on one count of making materially false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during interviews conducted in July.
The October 7 indictment alleges that Beck falsely denied sending inappropriate digital content to students using the school’s internal messaging system.
The messages included photos of an adult male defecating outdoors, a digital rectal exam, and adult men kissing; cartoon or “meme” photos of male genitals; and discussion of a pornography website with a special needs student, according to investigators.
Beck was teaching at R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD when the allegations arose around March 2023. The district conducted an internal investigation that “identified concerns about Beck’s communications with students.”
The FBI’s investigation included reviewing reports provided by the district and “other relevant materials,” as well as two interviews with Beck.
Beck twice told the FBI that any such messages were sent by special needs students.
“When federal agents investigate allegations involving the safety of students, they expect truthful answers, rather than obfuscation and outright lies,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. “By allegedly lying to the FBI, Mr. Beck chose to obstruct that investigation and blame his inappropriate conduct on special needs students instead of accepting accountability for his actions.”
The federal investigation is part of Project Safe Schools, an initiative launched by Raybould’s office in August to protect students, enforce accountability, and restore transparency in North Texas public schools.
Project Safe Schools directly targets school district administrators’ failures to report educator misconduct and combats the practice of “passing the trash,” in which teachers with known issues are allowed to move between schools without disclosure of their prior misconduct.
Federal prosecutors are working with state and local authorities to civilly and criminally enforce mandatory misconduct reporting requirements tied to federally funded education programs.
“This indictment makes clear that Project Safe Schools will utilize every tool in the toolchest to hold offenders accountable,” stated Raybould.
If convicted, Beck faces up to five years in federal prison.
Online records show Beck began working for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD in the 2021-22 school year.
Beck has held a Texas teaching certificate for Life Science since 2021. Beck received a one-year suspension of his credentials in January 2024. His certification is currently shown as suspended.
The teacher is also listed in the state’s Do Not Hire Registry as “under investigation.”
The FBI’s Dallas Field Office conducted the federal investigation into Beck with assistance from the Carrollton Police Department and the Texas Education Agency.
In just the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been charged with sex crimes involving students and other children, including at least five in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD.
Three CFBISD educators were arrested in March: Perry Middle School teacher Miguel Angel Caban Mendez was charged with two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, two counts of improper relationship between educator and student, and one count of indecent assault; Creekview High School theater teacher Kolby Campbell was arrested on a charge of child grooming; and Turner High School teacher and coach Jon Jerel Singh was charged with invasive visual recording.
Barbara Bush Middle School art teacher Haley Radabaugh was charged in May with child grooming, then charged again with improper relationship between educator and student.
R.L. Turner High School special education teacher and assistant tennis coach James Matthew “Matt” Stevens was arrested in May for public intoxication that “occurred on campus” but did not involve students, according to the district.
Another district teacher, Katherine Ann Roberts, is under TEA investigation for undisclosed misconduct.
The TEA is currently investigating thousands of educator sexual misconduct complaints.
