Alexandra Hunt -

Alexandra Hunt

Partner

Biography

Ms. Hunt went straight into the criminal defense practice after graduating cum laude from SMU Dedman School of Law and has experience in a wide array of criminal matters, both federal and state. Ms. Hunt takes the responsibility of representing individuals in criminal cases very seriously and is dedicated to ensuring that her clients are afforded the full benefit of every right they are entitled to. Her compassionate approach helps to guide clients as smoothly as possible through what is often a harrowing experience.

Ms. Hunt has represented clients through all stages of the criminal process, from responding to grand jury subpoenas, all the way through to trial. She is tireless in her efforts to secure the best possible outcome for her clients and is not afraid to think outside the box in order to do so. In particular, Ms. Hunt understands the tremendous impact that even the mere allegation of criminal conduct can have on a client’s life. With that in mind, she strives to help her clients address potential criminal investigations as early as possible, ideally enabling them to resolve the matter before any formal charges are ever filed.

In cases which proceed further through the process, Ms. Hunt remains an invaluable asset to her clients at every stage. Ms. Hunt is skilled in the art of motions practice, as well as trial preparation and strategy. She also has extensive experience with the federal sentencing process, where she advocates passionately for each and every client. Her unique and personalized approach has enabled her to secure significant downward variances for countless federal clients facing significant terms of imprisonment—in multiple cases, even so far as obtaining sentences of probation.

Ms. Hunt has also assisted many clients with post-conviction issues, such as petitions for orders of expunction and orders of non-disclosure, which can provide clients the opportunity to move forward with a clean record after certain arrests.

During law school, Ms. Hunt pursued her interest in criminal defense by serving as a student attorney in the SMU Criminal Justice Clinic. This allowed her the opportunity to represent numerous indigent criminal defendants in Dallas County through all stages of misdemeanor prosecutions. While still a student attorney, Ms. Hunt represented one of her clients through a full jury trial in County Criminal Court No. 10, obtaining a verdict of not guilty for her client on an assault family violence charge.

Ms. Hunt also gained valuable insight into federal court practice by serving as a legal intern to the honorable David L. Horan, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Texas, during her second year. In addition, Ms. Hunt was a member of the prestigious SMU Law Review Association, where she honed her legal research and writing skills.

Awards and Associations

Super Lawyers, Texas Rising Star (2020-2025)

D Magazine, Best Lawyers Under 40 (2023-2025)

D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas (2024-2025)

Professional Associations and Memberships

Judge Sarah T. Hughes North Texas Federal Criminal Law American Inn of Court, Associate (2022-Present)

Patrick E. Higginbotham Inn of Court, Associate (2018-2019 term)

Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Texas Bar College, Member

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member

Women in White Collar Defense Association, Member

Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member

Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member

Dallas Bar Association, Member

Representative Matters

Conspiracy to Pay and Receive Healthcare Kickbacks | Northern District of Texas

Achieved dismissal with prejudice of superseding indictment on the eve of trial for Client alleged to have participated in a healthcare fraud conspiracy which resulted in a total loss of approximately $44 million to CMS.

Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine | Eastern District of Texas

Obtained sentence of time served (approximately thirty days) for Client charged with possession of 3.714 kilograms of methamphetamine, successfully overcoming statutory minimum of 120 months imprisonment.

Health Care Fraud Investigation | Southern District of Florida

Successfully represented Client through federal criminal investigation into clinical laboratory co-owned by Client and others with no charges ever filed against Client, despite convictions of co-owner and multiple other involved parties arising out of same alleged conspiracy.

Engaging in the Business of Firearms Without a License | Eastern District of Texas

Obtained sentence of probation for Client charged with trafficking 118 firearms, constituting significant downward variance from Guidelines range of 36-47 months imprisonment.

Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution | Northern District of Texas

Obtained 60 month sentence for Client charged with causing over $350 million in losses, constituting significant downward variance from Guidelines range of 188-235 months.

Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud | Eastern District of Texas

Successfully negotiated sentence of probation for Client charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud arising out of an allegedly fraudulent COVID loan scheme.

Health Care Fraud Investigation | Western District of Texas

Resolved federal criminal investigation into former hospital executive suspected of engaging in fraudulent billing practices via pretrial diversion, thereby avoiding indictment.

Failure to Pay Over Trust Fund Taxes | Northern District of Texas

Obtained sentence of probation for Client charged with various federal tax crimes, arising out of a multi-year tax offense which resulted in a total of approximately $3.4 million in unpaid taxes.

Conspiracy to Commit Medicare Fraud | Southern District of Georgia

Obtained sentence of probation for Client charged with Conspiracy to Commit Medicare Fraud arising out of alleged nationwide kickback scheme which caused a total loss of over $2 billion.

Campaign Finance Violation Investigation | Southern District of New York

Represented very high-profile Client initially named a subject of widely publicized investigation into alleged violations of federal campaign finance laws, namely donations by straw donors and foreign nationals, successfully converting Client’s status to that of mere witness, thereby resolving investigation into Client without indictment.

Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Analogue | Northern District of Texas

Obtained sentence of probation for Client charged in large-scale conspiracy to distribute synthetic marijuana products, constituting a significant downward variance from Guidelines sentence of 96 months imprisonment.

Health Care Fraud Investigation | Northern District of West Virginia

Defended Client identified as the target of investigation into suspected Health Care Fraud, Travel Act Violations, AKS Violations, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion, successfully resolving criminal inquiry without indictment.

Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud | Northern District of Texas

Successfully resolved criminal investigation into physician owners of anesthesiology group suspected of engaging in improper billing practices resulting in the submission of over $3 million in allegedly fraudulent claims via a corporate plea, thereby avoiding the return of an indictment against any of the individual Client owners.

PRACTICE AREAS

EDUCATION

Juris Doctor, cum laude (2016)

Bachelor of Arts, Economics (2012)

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

December 15, 2025

Author: Rebecca Lopez with WFAA Watch the interview here. PROSPER, Texas — Parents of two young girls who say they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Prosper ISD school bus driver are speaking out about what they describe as serious failures by the district — including delayed notification to families and promised safety changes they say were never fully implemented. The parents asked that they not be identified to protect their children, who were just elementary school age at the time of the abuse. In a lawsuit filed in 2023, the girls — identified only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 — allege former bus driver Frank Paniagua assaulted them repeatedly during the 2021–2022 school year. According to the lawsuit, Paniagua would wait until other students exited the bus, then assault the girls, sometimes holding one child back so he could take her to the rear of the bus. Attorneys say the abuse occurred over several months and was captured on bus surveillance video. How the abuse was discovered The girls’ mother said the abuse came to light after their grandmother noticed troubling comments about gift cards offered by the bus driver. When the mother later questioned the girls again, they disclosed what had been happening. Prosper ISD police reviewed surveillance video from the bus in May 2022. Paniagua was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and indecency with a child. Paniagua later died after jumping from the second floor of the Collin County Jail while awaiting trial. Concerns about delayed notifications Attorneys for the family say more than 100 days passed after Paniagua’s arrest before Prosper ISD publicly acknowledged the allegations — a delay parents say may have prevented other potential victims from being identified. At a packed school board meeting, Prosper ISD parent Morgan Grahovec, a child psychologist whose daughter attended the same school as the victims, told trustees that delays in notifying parents can have serious consequences. “Children who are victims of abuse need to be identified and interviewed as soon as possible because memory fades over time,” Grahovec said. “The longer you wait, it’s harder to get a child to report abuse accurately.” Parents at those meetings called for Superintendent Holly Ferguson’s resignation, arguing district leaders should have acted sooner and communicated more transparently. Ferguson did not step down, instead promising changes to safety protocols. District response and former statement In an earlier written statement to WFAA, Prosper ISD said it took appropriate action once allegations surfaced: “We are horrified that an employee violated the trust of our families and students, as Prosper ISD’s foremost priority is to protect our students’ safety and well-being at all times. We strongly condemn the actions of any adult who would cause mental or physical harm to a child, and we do not tolerate such behavior.” The district has declined additional comment, citing pending litigation. Disputed claims about safety changes Prosper ISD previously told parents it would implement additional safeguards, including increased supervision during bus drop-offs, a volunteer “bus buddy” program, and improved monitoring of bus surveillance video. But the parents and their attorneys say those changes were not consistently put in place. Attorney Levi McCathern says the district does not regularly review bus surveillance footage — even though video captured the alleged abuse in this case. “You would think the first thing you would do after this happens is change your monitoring program,” McCathern said. “They don’t monitor them at all.” McCathern and co-counsel Kristin Hecker say the lawsuit is aimed at forcing policy changes rather than seeking financial gain. Questions about oversight and leadership The case has also raised broader concerns about district leadership and oversight. Prosper ISD’s school board president later resigned in an unrelated child abuse case, further shaking confidence among some parents. Families have also questioned the independence of the district’s internal review, noting that the law firm hired to investigate the district’s response is also defending Prosper ISD in the lawsuit. “All we want is an independent investigation,” McCathern said. Parents push for accountability and change The parents say their children remain enrolled in Prosper ISD, but they continue to press for reforms they believe could prevent similar abuse. “We want justice for our kids,” the girls’ mother said. “But we also want changes to happen at the district so that this doesn’t happen to other children.”