Another educator in H-E-B district accused in a sex-related case

A 25-year-old elementary teacher in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district is facing two charges of child indecency after an investigation into complaints that he inappropriately touched at least two students.

Angel Omar Sales of North Richland Hills taught third grade at Bellaire Elementary School. He was placed on administrative leave May 21 after the district was notified that Child Protective Services was investigating incidents that could have involved him and “several of his students,” Hurst Assistant Police Chief Richard Winstanley said Tuesday.

A letter was sent to third-grade parents May 22 notifying them of the investigation, district officials said.

Winstanley said the complaints involve two children, and the incidents took place in a classroom. Based on the CPS investigation and Hurst police investigations, two arrest warrants for indecency with a child/fondling were obtained.

Sales was arrested Aug. 10 at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport by U.S. Custom and Border Protection agents as he returned on a flight from El Salvador, Winstanley said. He was placed in custody of DFW police and has since been released on $20,000 bail.

Winstanley said he did not know why Sales was in El Salvador.

District officials said they learned of his arrest Aug. 11. They issued a written notice proposing the midyear termination of his contract.

School administrators didn’t learn that the Tarrant County district attorney’s office had accepted the charges against Sales until Tuesday, according to a statement issued Tuesday.

“The district’s own investigation was delayed at the request of state and city investigating authorities. However, due to the nature of the allegations and the information available, the district reported Mr. Sales to the State Board for Educator Certification on Tuesday, May 26, following the Memorial Day holiday, in an abundance of caution,” the district stated.

Sales was hired Aug. 14, 2014, to teach bilingual classes. He graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and had no teaching experience when he was hired, according to the district. All appropriate screening processes were in place when Sales was hired, and he is “under the nation’s criminal justice system, is innocent until proven guilty,” the statement said.

In July, the principal of Viridian Elementary School in the H-E-B district was placed on administrative leave after he was arrested in Frisco on suspicion of online solicitation of a minor. Oscar Figueroa, 46, faces a federal charge of coercion or enticement of a minor. He resigned soon after his arrest.

In November 2014, Randy Ray Wesson, 29, and Ricardo Javid Lugo, 17, were arrested by police who said Wesson had enrolled Lugo, who pretended to be 12, in Hurst Hills Elementary School to “recruit children for sex.”

Wesson pleaded guilty in February in federal court to two counts related to child pornography.

Lugo was indicted in January on state charges of possession with the intent to promote child pornography and indecency with a child. His trial is pending.

In response to questions about how the district plans to ensure the safety of students, administrators sent this statement:

“Questions have been asked related to the district’s screening procedures.

“The district goes beyond the state requirement in screening applicants who are recommended for employment.

“In addition to the statutory background checks run through the FBI database, the district is part of the Region 11 consortium, with JD Palatine, which conducts a county-by-county background search on each individual screened. In addition, references and other sources are checked related to selected applicants.”

Authorities did not release Sales’ booking photograph. His arrest warrant was not released by Hurst municipal court Tuesday.

This story was originally published August 18, 2015 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Another educator in H-E-B district accused in a sex-related case."