CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — A former administrator for the Corpus Christi Independent School District has been arrested and charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and official oppression.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KRIS 6 News, former Hamlin Middle School assistant principal Amanda Corona is accused of planting a marijuana vape pen in a student's backpack in March 2023.
As KRIS 6 News first reported, during a backpack search last year a vape pen was found behind a cabinet in a classroom. During this search, a student's cell phone was recording audio.
In that recording, Corona can be heard telling former CCISD Police Officer Andrew Gonzalez to place that vape pen in a student's bag. That student was then questioned by school officials and eventually suspended.
A sergeant with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office began investigating that incident in March of last year.
Nueces County Sheriff J.C. Hooper told KRIS 6 News that the sheriff's office then turned the investigation over to the Texas Rangers.
According to the arrest affidavit, "The audio recording recorded a conversation between Andrew Gonzalez and Amanda Corona talking about a vape pen they found behind a filing cabinet in the classroom that contained THC wax (marijuana). Both Andrew Gonzalez and Amanda Corona agreed to falsely accuse Hamlin Middle School student (redacted) of being in possession of the vape pen placing it into his backpack. (Redacted) received discipline by the school for the false accusation."
6 Investigates spoke with the student's mother, Yvonne Gatica, on Thursday. She said that she didn't know an arrest had been made prior to being contacted by KRIS 6 News.
"I know this is her career and I do feel bad, I do feel bad for her, but I feel like, does she need to be an assistant principal anywhere around children? No," Gatica said. "Not if it's that easy for her to just say, 'Hey, let's put this on (redacted).'"
"What about if I hadn't, you know, got a hold of the recording? (Redacted) would have been in trouble and that would have been on his record and not only (redacted) but who else did they do it to? What other kids did they do it to? Because it was so easy in that conversation that was recorded... And so easy for the police officer to also agree to plant something in a 12-year-old's backpack that was illegal that they would have charged him with," she added.
According to the arrest affidavit, that same vape pen was placed in another student's binder, and he was disciplined by the school.
A third student was also disciplined, after Corona and Gonzalez stated two students accused that student of owning the vape pen, according to the affidavit.
Following the incident, Corona was placed on administrative leave with pay. KRIS 6 News asked the district for an update on her employment status.
This district responded with a written statement:
"CCISD acts immediately to investigate any allegations of wrongdoing, a process which can include placing employees on administrative leave with pay.
In March 2023, school administration took swift action to launch an investigation into the allegations at Hamlin. While we cannot share details of personnel actions or investigations, we can confirm Ms. Corona was on administrative leave starting in March 2023 and has not been employed at CCISD since August 2023. The officer has not been employed at CCISD since March 2023.
We respectfully refer any additional questions to local law enforcement."
6 Investigates has confirmed Corona was employed with Richard Milburn Academy during the 2023-24 academic year.
The Robstown Independent School District has Corona currently listed as an English teacher on its website.
The district told KRIS 6 News that Corona is "currently on paid administrative leave while we conduct an investigation into a personnel matter. As this involves personnel, we are unable to provide additional details at this time in accordance with legal requirements."
Records from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement reveal Gonzalez has not been employed by the district since March 9, 2023. Following his separation from the district he was employed by the Kirby Police Department until March 1, 2024.
He has also previously been a jailer with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office and employed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as a peace officer.
Gonzalez is not currently employed as a peace officer within the state of Texas.
Gatica said prior to this incident, she believed school staff when they would call her, but that trust has been shattered.
"I'm mad, you know, mad that you did this to my son. But you ruined the trust that I had for the teachers, for the principals, for the vice principals. So, now when something happens, I'm not so quick to believe them," she said. "You should be able to trust the educators, right?"
