Attorneys Archive - Page 5 of 6 -

Ty M. Sheaks

Ty M. Sheaks is a respected source of insight and information as a frequent speaker, author, faculty legal advisor to the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and special board advisor for DFW-RIMS. Whether in the courtroom or negotiating deals he the go to “fixer” for McCathern’s most difficult and high-exposure matters. Additionally, Ty leads […]

James E. Sherry

McCathern partner James “Jim” Sherry is an experienced civil and criminal litigator who has guided corporate and individual clients through every stage of litigation, from pre-suit investigation through successful merits appeal to the United States Supreme Court. Jim regularly represents clients in complex business disputes involving diverse areas of law, with a particular focus on […]

Arnold Shokouhi

Arnold Shokouhi is an equity owner and Managing Partner for McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans. Arnold’s multi-state practice focuses on complex commercial disputes across a broad range of industries, with a particular focus on banking, director and officer liability, health care, and entertainment industries. When the stakes are high, businesses often call upon Arnold to help litigate […]

Jesse R. Showalter

Attorney Jesse R. Showalter is an experienced and respected litigator who joined McCathern in 2022. Jesse has tried 19 jury trials, handling cases on behalf of individuals and corporations at the state and federal levels. He focuses his practice in the areas of Business and Commercial Litigation, Commercial Trucking, Construction Litigation, Employment Law, Insurance Litigation, […]

Ronald Wright

Ronald Wright is Co-Managing Partner of McCathern’s Houston, Texas office. Mr. Wright practices in the areas of banking, corporate services, real estate transactions, restaurant and hospitality (with particular experience in food services), retail electricity, and oil and gas. He regularly advises clients regarding general business and corporate governance matters. He is experienced in handling complex transactional […]

Elois Caswell

Attorney Elois Caswell joined McCathern in 2023 and is already assisting McCathern’s experienced partners and associate attorneys with a variety of client matters including Insurance Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Business & Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury & Wrongful Death, and Construction Litigation. Elois earned her J.D. from Baylor Law School in 2023 as a recipient of […]

Danielle L. Chester

Attorney Danielle Chester joined McCathern’s Houston office in 2022 and focuses her practice on Business and Commercial Litigation, Business Disputes, Civil Litigation, Oil & Gas, and Real Estate Litigation. She is licensed to practice in all four federal district courts of Texas—the Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern Districts—as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the […]

David L. Clark

David L. Clark is a Partner in McCathern’s Houston office. His practice focuses on Business & Commercial Litigation, Business Disputes, Civil Litigation, Media & Entertainment, and Intellectual Property for a wide range of clients. David always wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer to support artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, and creative people across all industries. With over […]

Sarah E. Courtney

Sarah E. Courtney joined McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans as an Associate in 2024 and assists clients on a variety of matters including Business & Commercial Litigation and Personal Injury. Sarah earned her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2024, where she graduated cum laude with a concentration in Business Law, and also obtained […]

Raegan Rush

Raegan Rush is a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where she earned her J.D. with honors in 2024. Her commitment to academic excellence was reflected in her placement in the top 15% in law school, membership in the Order of the Barristers, and consistent appearances on the Dean’s List. During […]

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.”

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