“We’ve taken two predators, two bad people, and we’ve made it really hard for them to be around our children,” Matt Antkowiak said.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Former Newman International Academy police chief Matt Antkowiak is calling a major update in a child sex abuse investigation a “win” for students and advocates working to protect children from predators. He and other child advocates hope it sends a message to would-be predators.
Antkowiak retired from the Arlington charter school system after helping investigate allegations involving two female students. He praised the students for coming forward and reporting what happened.
Newman International Academy is a tuition-free charter school serving K-12 students.
“We had victims that were in the range of 15 to 17 years of age,” Matt Antkowiak said. “It doesn’t undo what happened to them.”
Investigators obtained arrest warrants in February 2025 for former principal Rick Adams, who was charged with failing to report abuse and tampering with evidence.
Now, more than a year later, Antkowiak says Adams has pleaded guilty.
“Adams pleaded guilty today on that, received 7 years,” Matt Antkowiak said. “He’s got to go through a sex offender indoctrination program where they do a polygraph and all that kind of stuff to see where he falls. And he’s no longer allowed to be employed in education.”
The seven years are a probation period agreed upon by prosecutors and the defense attorney for Adams, according to Antkowiak.
WFAA reached out to Adams for comment but did not receive a response.
Antkowiak said the investigation centered on former instructional aide Ruel Barbee. Court records show Barbee pleaded guilty earlier this year to having an inappropriate relationship with a student. He is also on probation.
“He got 7 years on that sex offender status and is unable to be employed in education for the rest of his life,” Matt Antkowiak said.
According to Antkowiak, prosecutors later dismissed charges against a third school employee who had been arrested on allegations of child grooming.
Despite the trauma surrounding the case, Antkowiak said he hopes the outcome reassures students and parents that predators are being held accountable.
“We’ve taken two predators, two bad people, and we’ve made it really hard for them to be around our children,” Matt Antkowiak said.
Even with their guilty pleas, both Adams and Barbee may find themselves with more legal battles in the future. Investigators are currently digging into their past while working at other school districts, according to Antkowiak.
When their case at Newman International Academy went public, alleged victims from their past reportedly came forward claiming the educators supposedly crossed the line with them.