WINNSBORO, Texas — Law enforcement officials in Wood County arrested the top leadership of the Winnsboro Independent School District (WISD) on Monday, charging both the current and former superintendents with crimes related to the failure to report child abuse.
According to Wood County Jail records, current Superintendent Aaron Nation and former Superintendent Brian David Wilcox were booked Monday following an investigation into allegations of misconduct and concealment. Ashley Wilcox, David’s wife, was also arrested and charged with failure to report child abuse.
David Wilcox now lives in Texarkana and has worked for multiple Texarkana area schools in the past.
The Wood County Sheriff’s Office has detailed serious charges against both educators, alleging attempts to hide abuse and manipulate evidence:
- Aaron Nation (Current Superintendent): Charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal.
- Brian David Wilcox (Former Superintendent): Charged with two counts of failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal.
Legal counsel for both Nation and Wilcox has indicated that they intend to enter pleas of not guilty.
Jed Silverman, the criminal defense attorney representing former superintendent Mr. Wilcox, addressed the charges categorically stating that his client is not guilty. Silberman confirmed that the defense has been in communication with the Texas Rangers regarding their investigation and intends to fight the charges vigorously. “We look forward to getting this case in front of a jury as fast as possible,” he said, expressing a desire to clear his client’s name and restore a “sense of normality” to Wilcox’s life.
The arrests come at a tumultuous time for the district’s administration. Brian Wilcox served as the district’s superintendent until his resignation in September 2025 to accept a position elsewhere.
Following Wilcox’s departure, Aaron Nation served as interim superintendent starting in September. In a significant development, the school board officially named Nation the permanent superintendent on January 6—just one week prior to his arrest.
While authorities have not explicitly confirmed a direct link, these arrests follow a series of controversies that have plagued Winnsboro ISD over the last year involving alleged misconduct and failure to follow reporting protocols.
- June 2025: Nicholas Gabriele, a former coach and teacher, was arrested after allegedly admitting to an improper sexual relationship with a high school student. He resigned before the charges became public.
- December 2025: The WISD Board of Trustees unanimously terminated the district’s police chief. The board determined the chief failed to notify the district about a Texas Rangers investigation regarding the same alleged relationship involving Gabriele.
Winnsboro ISD officials addressed the arrests in a statement released Monday, emphasizing their cooperation with investigators.
“The district takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our students, staff, and community. WISD has been and is fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their investigation,” district spokesperson Adriana Weems said.
As the investigation continues, authorities are expected to release further details regarding the specific evidence tampering and concealment allegations.