Former Celina ISD Teacher Caleb Elliott Indicted on Multiple Felony Charges Involving Students

Former Teacher and Coach Indicted in Collin County

Caleb Elliott, a former teacher and coach in the Celina Independent School District, has been indicted by a Collin County grand jury on multiple felony charges. The indictment includes charges of possession of child pornography, invasive visual recording, and sexual performance by a child. Elliott previously worked at Moore Middle School and Celina High School within the district.

Allegations of Secret Recordings at Moore Middle School

Authorities accuse Elliott of secretly recording boys in the Moore Middle School locker room. According to the allegations, he recorded and photographed nude boys in the middle school locker room and showers. In some instances, he is accused of coercing students to perform nude acts, including exercises such as jumping jacks and burpees, in order to create images.

Arrests and Additional Criminal Charges

Elliott was arrested multiple times in October and November 2025. Following these arrests, he was accused of invasive visual recording and later charged with possession and production of child pornography after police recovered illicit images and videos from his phone. A federal grand jury previously indicted Elliott on eight charges of sexual exploitation of children, alleging that he coerced minors into sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.

Personnel Changes Following Elliott’s Arrest

After Elliott’s arrest, the principal of the school resigned. Elliott’s father, Bill Elliott, who had served as the longtime athletic director and head coach, retired. A third-party report commissioned by the district, totaling 84 pages, found no evidence that any staff members knew about the alleged crimes before Elliott was arrested. The report, which was heavily redacted, also indicated there were failures in how the district handled the situation and cited what it described as systemic failures within the district.

Lawsuits and Allegations Against Celina ISD

Lawsuits filed against Celina ISD allege that the district was grossly negligent and enabled Caleb Elliott’s misconduct. The legal actions claim the district was aware of prior serious misconduct, alleging that Elliott had an illicit sexual relationship with a vulnerable teenage student while working at Celina High School during the 2022-2023 school year. According to the lawsuits, rather than reporting him to law enforcement, the district transferred Elliott to Moore Middle School in 2023.

District Response and Legal Framework

Celina ISD has filed a response denying all allegations and has cited immunity under state law. A new Texas law that took effect on September 1 removes sovereign immunity from school districts and their employees in sexual abuse cases when they act with gross negligence or recklessness. State Representative Mitch Little, who represents part of Denton County, authored House Bill 4623, which created this change. The law, which was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by the governor, allows victims’ families to pursue civil legal action against school districts in such cases.

Civil Representation of Alleged Victims

Civil attorney Quentin Brogdon represents the parents of nearly two dozen boys who were allegedly secretly video recorded by Elliott while they were undressing in the Moore Middle School locker room. Brogdon stated that new information about Elliott’s alleged conduct continues to emerge on a weekly basis, and characterized Elliott as a significant threat from the perspective of parents.