GREENUP, Ky. (WSAZ) -- In Greenup, Ky. a professional scam artist and convicted felon got into a classroom and really close to the students. Many local prosecutors are calling the man behind this school security con job "notorious" and parents are wondering how he got there.

Before Christmas break, 20-year-old Dakoda Bowling was welcomed into a fifth grade class at McKell Elementary as an observer without a background or credential check.

"He was introduced by a long time teacher here," Principal Tom Kouns explained. "He said he was a former student; there were no red flags, no reason to believe he wasn't just observing."

Students at the school say Bowling was not just observing. Becky Hudson has four grandchildren at McKell, including one in the class Bowling was supposed to be observing.

"He said he didn't like him," Hudson said. "that he taught the class, not just observing. How they let someone in with no credentials is really scary."

Principal Kouns said "of course" credentials should have been checked. As for the background check, Kouns said, "after his initial stint at McKell, Dakota Bowling went to the school board office and got himself put on the substitute teachers list."

Superintendent Randy Hughes says when he got the Kentucky State Police report, it had no convictions on it -- so the school board approved him. Hughes says later he was given information that showed Bowling was convicted of numerous felony crimes.

Hughes says the school board is checking into their review system. "We don't want people like this in our classroom," he said.

Records show multi-state convictions, guilty charges or guilty pleas involving theft by deception, bad and fraudulent checks -- many at car dealerships. The list goes on.

Attorney Mike Wilson says Bowling has a way of fooling people. "I have a civil case where he got a $700,000 certificate of deposit from a bank without a dime in his pocket," Wilson said. "He talks a good game."

Superintendent Hughes says it seems this man got through the cracks, but the system is being checked out. "we're going to double check all our personnel to make sure no one else slipped through the cracks," Hughes said.

Attempts to track down Dakoda Bowling were not successful. His grandmother said that Dakoda was the victim of a Nigerian Internet scam that promised cash.

Detectives tell us there are numerous pending criminal cases against Bowling and warrants are out for his arrest on various charges.