A former Sanger Independent School District police officer is sitting in the Denton County Jail after investigators say he had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student he was hired to protect.
Israel Demello, 26, was arrested on Wednesday on multiple felony counts tied to an alleged relationship with a Sanger ISD student. Sanger Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division led the case, bringing in the Denton County Sheriff’s Office for digital-forensic work. District officials had already placed Demello on administrative leave in November 2025 after they were first told of the allegations.
Felony Counts Laid Out After Magistrate Signs Warrants
The Denton County Magistrate’s Court issued arrest warrants accusing Demello of four second-degree felonies: improper relationship between educator and student, sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. The charging details and booking information were reported by The Dallas Morning News.
Allegations First Surfaced In November, Records List Earlier Offense Date
Sanger police say they were first notified of the allegations on November 19, 2025, and the district put Demello on administrative leave the next day while detectives opened a full investigation. Denton County records list the alleged offense date as January 1, 2024, a discrepancy reporters noted as investigators continued gathering evidence. The timeline and personnel details were summarized by KERA News.
District Alerts Parents As Families React With Shock
Sanger ISD sent parents a letter on November 20 saying a district police officer had been accused of “inappropriate conduct with a secondary student” and that the district had filed a report with the Texas Education Agency, according to CBS News Texas. Parents told FOX 4 they were shaken by the arrest; one parent said, “He just floated around...,” describing Demello as a regular, visible presence at school events. The district has said it is cooperating with investigators and has not issued a more detailed public statement since the arrest.
Bond, Possible Prison Time And What Comes Next
After the magistrate issued the warrants, Demello was booked into Denton County custody, with local reporting placing his combined bond at roughly $225,000. Coverage of the booking and bond appeared in outlets including KERA News. Under Texas law, the alleged offenses are second-degree felonies, each punishable by two to 20 years in prison and fines up to $10,000, per Justia. Prosecutors had not publicly posted a court date as of publication, and the investigation remained active.
How To Report Tips
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sanger Police Department at 940-458-7444 or email [email protected], according to local reporting. This story will be updated as new court filings and official statements are released.
