The charges are state jail felonies that carry a punishment range of six months to two years in jail.
A police officer assigned to Temple High School said the students used stolen and forged class credit slips to indicate they had passed courses they did not.
The students named in the indictment are:
nDavid Edward Johnson Jr., 17
nDavid Christopher Johnson,17
nMarquell Rashon Linear, 17
nJohn Michael Triefencach, 19
nBrannon Dejuan Washington, 18
nRahkim Ashaud Crawford, 18
n Marzell Allen Scott, 18
Jennifer Graham, the 12th grade assistant principal at Temple High, contacted the officer. Ms. Graham said forged class credit forms were presented to her between Feb. 19 and March 3, according to court records.
She confirmed with the teacher whose signature was on the form that it was a forgery, according to court records.
It is unclear if the students received any punishment from the school. Temple High School principal Jason Bullock was unavailable for comment.
Regina Baird, TISD spokeswoman, said it is district policy not to comment about discipline involving specific students.
She said she was not familiar with the credit status of the students and did not know if graduation from high school was in jeopardy.
“If these seven do not have the credits to graduate, they will not graduate,” Ms. Baird said.
The seven were enrolled in an accelerated academy aimed at helping students, who have been ill or missed an extended period of time, recover course credits.
Other indictments in Bell County on Wednesday included:
n Nito Jim Guerra Jr., 29, of Temple, methamphetamine possession less than 1 gram.
n Heather A. Ferguson, 38, of Harker Heights, cocaine possession less than 1 gram.
n Quamenious Rontrell Pritchett, 25, of Killeen, debit card abuse.
n Nigeria Nidiyah Hammad, 25, of Killeen, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
n Victelus Lamar Wilson, 26, of Killeen, cocaine possession 1 gram or more.
n Howard Jarrell Hall, 19, of Killeen, cocaine possession less than 1 gram.
n Gregory Hardin Lynch II, 24, of Killeen, cocaine possession less than 1 gram.
n Andrew Jermaine Jones, 24, of Killeen, ecstasy possession 1 gram or more.
n Oscar Esquivel, 42, of Killeen, DWI III.
n Teresa Lynn Whitman, 37, of Temple, secure execution of document by deception.
