Sanger ISD police officer accused of inappropriate relationship with student

SANGER, Texas - A Sanger ISD police officer has been arrested and accused of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

What we know:

Sanger police have arrested 26-year-old Israel Demello, formerly a police officer for Sanger ISD.

Demello had been on administrative leave since November 2025 when allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student at Sanger ISD first surfaced.

On Wednesday, Sanger police issued an arrest warrant for Demello after an investigation from Sanger PD's Criminal Investigation Division.

The warrants came for the offenses of improper relationship between educator and student, sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child, and indecency with a child by sexual contact, all second-degree felonies. 

Demello was arrested Jan. 14 and booked into the Denton County Jail.

What we don't know:

The name of the student in the alleged relationship has not been released, nor has the length of the alleged relationship.

What they're saying:

Nicole Robles, a parent of a child at the school, spoke to FOX 4's Peyton Yager about the alleged abuse.

"He just floated around, you know. Kids knew him at pep rallies," Robles said. "He's at the desk in the school greeting you. Giving you a pass to walk to the cafeteria to have lunch with your son. Late drop-offs for appointments. He's there in the office."

Robles wondered if her child was at risk.

"I know a lot of parents are feeling this way because a whole handful of us had kids in Pre-K and kindergarten dating back to 2024," Robles continued. "It took me all day to work through these emotions. Like, do I go pick my son up from school? Do I continue his education here? Do we move?"
 

What you can do:

Anyone with information related to this incident is requested to contact the Sanger Police Department at 940-458-7444 or email CID@sangertexas.org.