A school district police officer charged with sexually assaulting an underage student was added to the state’s Do Not Hire Registry. The former officer is now permanently prohibited from working in Texas’ government schools.
The Texas Education Agency announced Tuesday that the action was taken under the authority of its new Office of Inspector General for Educator Misconduct.
“This placement sends a clear and unequivocal message: misconduct will not be tolerated in any form, and those who engage in it will be removed from Texas schools permanently,” stated Inspector General Levi Fuller, who was appointed in early February.
Placement on the Do Not Hire Registry is among the most serious administrative actions TEA can take, and schools are required to consult the registry before hiring any employee.
“The integrity of our schools depends on the trust placed in every adult who serves students,” said Fuller. “When that trust is violated, particularly in cases involving exploitation or abuse of a student, we act decisively.”
The officer added to the registry, 26-year-old Israel Demello, was working for the Sanger Independent School District’s police force when allegations arose last year that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with a student.
Demello was arrested in January and charged with sexual assault of a child, sexual performance by a child, indecency with a child by sexual contact, and improper relationship between educator and student. All are second-degree felonies punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison.
Following Demello’s arrest, Superintendent Tommy Hunter notified parents that the officer was “no longer employed by Sanger ISD.”
On February 19, a Denton County grand jury indicted Demello on three counts of sexual assault of a child (two dating back to 2021) and one count each of indecency and sexual performance.
Demello was added to the registry on March 30, ensuring he can no longer work around Texas’ public school children.
“Students deserve safe environments where they can learn without fear of exploitation,” said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
“Any individual who abuses their position of authority to harm a student has no place in Texas schools,” said Morath. “We will use every tool available to ensure that those who commit such acts are held accountable and prevented from re-entering any school system.”
As of June 2025, a total of 3,827 individuals have been placed on the Do Not Hire Registry since its inception in 2020.
In just the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been publicly accused of sex crimes involving students and other minors, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for misconduct.
