Defendant in EPISD cheating scheme to avoid retrial

A former assistant principal at Austin High School who was indicted in connection to the district-wide cheating scheme will avoid a trial after acknowledging responsibility for his role.

The El Paso Times reported that Mark Tegmeyer entered a pre-trial diversion agreement with federal prosecutors last week.

The move will allow him to avoid trial and to not have to officially admit guilt, according to the newspaper.

In accepting the pre-trial diversion agreement, Tegmeyer acknowledges responsibility to the charges of consipiracy to defraud the United States, attempt and conspiracy to commit mail fraud and frauds and swindles.

ABC-7 reported in June of 2017 when a judge overseeing the case against Tegmeyer and other co-defendants declared a mistrial after the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI failed to turn over witness documents in a timely fashion.