Former Round Rock ISD principal arrested in Arizona, accused of luring girls online
A former Round Rock ISD principal was arrested in Arizona accused of luring teen girls online. Officials with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office in Arizona announced the arrest of the 59-year-old on Tuesday.
Karl Judd Waggoner was the former principal at Hopewell Middle School. Before that he worked at Anderson High School in the Austin Independent School District as an assistant principal and academy director between 2013 and 2014. Before then, he worked at Eanes ISD for approximately 18 years.
Waggoner's latest move was to Arizona where he was hired by Apache Junction Unified School District in 2017. He began working as a principal at an elementary school, Four Peaks Elementary School.
According to a statement released by PCSO, Waggoner was arrested near the Arizona school early Tuesday morning, and is charged with alleged luring and alleged aggravated luring of a minor.
According to the statement, Waggoner posted ads soliciting teen girls to go skinny dipping with him at his home. Detectives with PCSO's sex crimes unit reportedly conducted an undercover investigation, posing as a 14-year-old girl, after spotting one of Waggoner's ads.
Waggoner, according to PSCO officials, allegedly engaged in sexually inappropriate conversations, discussed engaging in sexual acts with the undercover detective, and provided sexually explicit photos. "This was not something that was a one-time thing," said Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb. "He was actively doing this."
According to Lamb, Waggoner allegedly posted ads online up until this past weekend, soliciting young girls for sex. Waggoner, according to the statement, allegedly admitted to his involvement in the cast with investigators.
After news of Waggoner's arrest broke, officials with the Apache Junction Unified School District released the copy of a letter that was sent home with students at Four Peaks Elementary School.
According to the letter, Waggoner began working for the Apache Junction Unified School District on July 18, and he had moved to the area from Texas. Officials said prior to offering Waggoner his position, the school district conducted all background checks required by law, and found no prior arrests or criminal history.
"Unless they've been caught for a crime, these are hard to catch on a background investigation," said Sheriff Lamb. At this time, school district officials said Waggoner is still an employee with the Arizona district, but is not performing any job duties. Officials also said they have no reason to believe that Waggoner engaged in any improper conduct with students within the Arizona school district.