A former Northwest ISD teacher has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Kyle Lee Roy Francis, 24, of Denton, was charged in a two-count federal indictment with receipt and posses sion of child pornography. Francis previously worked as an art teacher at Lance Thompson Elementary School and has voluntarily resigned from his position with Northwest ISD, officials said. If convicted, Francis faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Child Exploitation Group. The charges fall under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation. In a statement, Northwest ISD said the charges do not involve any district student or school-related activity. “This evening, the Department of Homeland Security informed Northwest ISD that Kyle Francis, a former art teacher at Lance Thompson Elementary School, has been indicted on charges of possessing child pornography,” the district wrote in a letter sent to families. “In our communication with Homeland Security, we have received assurance that no charges or allegations relate to any Northwest ISD student.” District officials said Francis was employed from Aug. 5, 2024, until Jan. 14, 2026. A standard background check conducted at the time of his hiring revealed no prior arrests or concerns, the district said. According to the district, administrators were notified with limited detail on Francis’ final day of employment that he was under federal investigation. At that time, officials said they immediately requested and received his resignation. Northwest ISD said it reported the investigation to the Texas Education Agency and the Department of Family and Protective Services, as required by law, and conducted an internal administrative review. The district’s cybersecurity team also performed a forensic analysis of Francis’ district-issued computer and digital activity, which did not reveal any inappropriate content, officials said. “We have fully cooperated with federal authorities and will continue to provide appropriate files and information to support the investigation,” said Amy Lawson, principal of Lance Thompson Elementary School, in the letter to families. Federal authorities emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation. Francis is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ...read more read less