Israel Demello: Felony Charges and Do Not Hire Placement

Israel Demello is a former Sanger Independent School District police officer in Denton County, Texas, who was arrested in January 2026 on four second-degree felony charges tied to an alleged sexual relationship with a student. As of late March 2026 he remained in the Denton County Jail, and the Texas Education Agency had permanently barred him from working in any Texas school.¹

The Charges Against Demello

Demello faces four second-degree felony counts in Denton County:²

Improper relationship between educator and student. Under Texas Penal Code § 21.12, it is a crime for a public or private school employee to engage in sexual contact or intercourse with a student enrolled at the school where the employee works.³
Sexual assault of a child.
Sexual performance by a child. Under Texas Penal Code § 43.25, this offense involves knowingly employing, authorizing, or inducing a child younger than 18 to engage in sexual conduct or a sexual performance.⁴
Indecency with a child by sexual contact.

Each count carries a potential sentence of two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 on conviction.⁵ Denton County records list the offense date for each charge as January 1, 2024, and an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News indicated the alleged relationship with the underage student began as early as that year.¹

How the Case Came to Light

Sanger ISD became aware of concerns about Demello on November 19, 2025. The next day, Superintendent Tommy Hunter notified parents that a district police officer had been accused of “inappropriate conduct with a secondary student.”² Demello was placed on administrative leave immediately and lost access to every district campus.⁶

The Sanger Police Department led the criminal investigation with help from digital forensic investigators at the Denton County Sheriff’s Office, and described the allegations as “of a criminal nature.”⁷ The district said the alleged misconduct involved a secondary student and occurred after school hours, and that no elementary students were identified as victims despite Demello having served at Chisholm Trail Elementary during his time with the district.⁶

Arrest, Bond, and Court Status

Demello was arrested on January 14, 2026, and booked into the Denton County Jail, initially held on a bond of at least $225,000.² Bond conditions set in late January included Level Three assaultive conditions and electronic monitoring.

A Denton County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment on February 19, 2026, and the case was assigned to the 367th Judicial District Court as case number F26-517-367.⁸ After indictment his bond was set at $250,000; by late March 2026, reporting put the total across all charges at $550,000.¹ An arraignment was held on March 27, 2026, with an announcement hearing on May 29, 2026. The most recent reporting, in late March 2026, placed Demello still in the Denton County Jail.

Permanent Bar From Texas Schools

On March 31, 2026, the Texas Education Agency placed Demello on the state’s Do Not Hire Registry, permanently barring him from employment at any Texas public school.⁹ The action came from the TEA’s Office of Inspector General for Educator Misconduct. Inspector General Levi Fuller said the agency “act[s] decisively” when trust between a school employee and a student is violated, “particularly in cases involving exploitation or abuse.”¹

The Do Not Hire Registry is a statewide database established under House Bill 3. Texas public schools and charter schools are required to check it before hiring any employee or contractor, and the TEA called this placement “among the most serious administrative actions” it can take. The registry is publicly searchable and covers non-certified school employees, individuals with disqualifying criminal convictions, and educators whose certifications have been revoked for student-related misconduct.¹⁰

Background and Hiring

Demello, 26 and a resident of Denton, Texas, started with the Sanger ISD Police Department on June 15, 2023.² Outside law enforcement, he had publicly described himself as an entrepreneur, public speaker, and author, and had worked with youth arts organizations.¹¹

Sanger ISD said his hiring followed standard law enforcement procedures administered by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, including third-party background investigations, criminal history checks, and fingerprinting. The district also disputed community rumors that parents or others had previously flagged concerns, calling those claims “false” and stating that Demello “was never moved, reassigned, or placed on a specific campus due to alleged inappropriate misconduct.”⁶

1
The Dallas Morning News. Former Sanger Police Officer Placed on Do Not Hire Registry
2
KERA News. Ex-Sanger ISD Police Officer Arrested for Inappropriate Relationship With Student
3
FindLaw. Texas Penal Code § 21.12 – Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student
4
FindLaw. Texas Penal Code § 43.25 – Sexual Performance by a Child
5
FindLaw. Texas Penal Code § 12.33 – Second Degree Felony Punishment
6
Denton Record-Chronicle. Sanger ISD Statement on Israel Demello
7
CBS News Texas. Sanger ISD Police Officer Suspended Over Criminal Allegation Involving Student
8
Texas Scorecard. Sanger ISD Demello Court Records
9
Texas Education Agency. Texas Education Agency Places Former Sanger ISD Police Officer on Do Not Hire Registry
10
Texas Education Agency. Do Not Hire Registry and Fingerprinting for Schools
11
Texas Scorecard. Suspended Sanger ISD Policeman Jailed for Sex Crimes Against Student