A former middle school principal in North Texas was arrested after he allegedly sold prescription weight loss medications to other faculty members.
Gerardo Moreno Mendez was formally charged with the delivery or offer of delivery of a dangerous drug on June 8, and he has since been released from custody on bond.
Moreno Mendez, 32, previously worked as a principal in the Crowley Independent School District, according to FOX 4. He was arrested after he sold, or at least attempted to sell, prescription GLP-1 weight loss drugs to other staff members at the school.
He was accused of selling the prescription drug Tirzepatide to at least three teachers or staff members in January, according to court documents viewed by the outlet.
Tirzepatide is commonly sold under the brand names Zepbound and Mounjaro and is an injectable prescription medication that mimics gut hormones GIP and GLP-1 to regulate blood sugar, curb appetite and slow digestion, according to GoodRX.
Prior to his arrest, Moreno Mendez left his role as a faculty member in Crowley ISD and took a principal job at Godley Middle School in the Godley Independent School District in April, per FOX 4. However, Moreno Mendez has since reportedly resigned from the new position after he was arrested.
Moreno Mendez is next scheduled to appear in court regarding the charges in August.
“Mr. Moreno voluntarily turned himself in last month after learning that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. By that time, the school district had already conducted its own investigation and reinstated him as principal. Although we are limited in what we can disclose at this time, that is a significant fact that should not be overlooked,” Moreno Mendez’s attorney, Alex Thorton, said in a statement to the outlet. “We hope the district attorney’s office will give this case the careful and thoughtful review it deserves.”
Criminologist Dr. Alex del Carmen also weighed in on the case, explaining that Godley ISD may not have been aware of the case when they hired Moreno Mendez.
“When you do your background check, and that entity does it independently, they’re going to go by the individual that’s already been convicted, the person that’s already been in court and has been found guilty, but not necessarily somebody that may be temporarily accused of a crime or somebody that has not been even presented formal charges,” del Carmen, who is not involved in the case, said. “And so, I don’t blame the entity that did the background check. I actually look at the fact that, sadly, the criminal justice process moves so slowly here that essentially it put the school in jeopardy, the new school in jeopardy, and the students as well.”
