Eastside Charter Superintendent Akeem Brown Faces Criminal Charges, Details Remain Limited
Akeem Jonathan Brown, founder and superintendent of Essence Preparatory Public School, which is set to close at the end of the school year, is facing three criminal charges following an arrest by Cibolo police earlier this month, according to Guadalupe County Jail records.
Brown, 34, was booked into the Guadalupe County Jail on May 14, 2026, on charges of driving while intoxicated, evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Jail records show he was released the same day.
Additional details about what led to the arrest were not immediately available. The charges listed in jail records remain pending, and Brown has not been convicted of the offenses listed.
Brown Previously Held Leadership Roles In San Antonio
According to Brown’s LinkedIn profile, he has served at Essence Preparatory Public School for nearly seven years, holding the role of CEO and superintendent in San Antonio.
Before leading Essence Prep, Brown worked with SAGE, San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, for more than two years. His listed roles there included interim chief executive officer and director of operations from September 2016 to September 2018.
Brown also previously worked for the City of San Antonio as director of communications and policy from January 2015 to September 2016, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Essence Prep Was Already Set To Close
The arrest comes as Essence Preparatory Public School is already preparing to cease operations at the end of the current school year.
The school’s open enrollment contract is set to expire on July 31, according to a letter from the Texas Education Agency. In that letter, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath cited Essence Prep’s academic accountability record, including an F rating in 2022 to 2023, a D rating in 2023 to 2024 and an F rating in 2024 to 2025.
Essence Preparatory Public School previously announced that it will close at the end of the current school year and will not reopen for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
School Board Says Focus Remains On Students And Families
In a statement, a school spokesperson said the Essence Prep Board of Directors is aware of the reported incident but could not comment on specific details because it is a personnel matter.
“The Board of Directors continues to oversee all operations and ensure appropriate processes are followed,” the statement said.
The statement also said the board’s priority remains supporting students, families and staff as the school community moves through this transition.
“As previously announced, Essence Prep will cease operations at the end of the current school year and will not reopen for the 2026 to 2027 academic year,” the statement said.
