(Texas Scorecard) – A Tarver Elementary School teacher who was placed on leave last month while police investigated sexual misconduct allegations has been arrested and identified as Estevan Banda.
Banda, 33, was arrested on March 14 and charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second-degree felony.
He was the second Belton Independent School District teacher arrested in one week for sex crimes involving a student.
Banda’s alleged victim reportedly told Temple Police Department officers that the inappropriate contact occurred at the school, where Banda taught fourth grade.
The district first notified families on February 13 that an unnamed Tarver Elementary staff member was on administrative leave while police investigated alleged misconduct.
On March 14, Superintendent Malinda Golden sent another notice to parents identifying Banda as the suspect and revealing that criminal charges had been filed against him.
Golden stated that Banda’s employment with Belton ISD is being terminated and said the charges had been reported to the Texas Education Agency, State Board for Educator Certification, and Child Protective Services.
State records show Banda had a one-year teaching certificate that expired in 2022.
The superintendent assured parents that Belton ISD conducts “thorough background and reference checks on all employees as part of the hiring process,” and that all staff members “engage in annual training around recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect.”
She also urged students to report any safety concerns immediately.
“Here is the message that I need our students, families, staff, and community to hear: I will not tolerate any behavior that compromises student safety. We will continue to implement preemptive measures with our hiring and training processes and we will take strong and decisive action to hold those who cause harm accountable,” concluded Golden.
The investigation into Banda is ongoing, and there may be other victims. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477.
Another Belton ISD teacher was also arrested last week following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a student.
South Belton Middle School teacher Logan Demeny was arrested March 10 and charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony. Demeny is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 13- to 14-year-old female student more than 10 times in 2021.
Also last week, former Lake Belton High School athletic trainer Trevor Swift was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material featuring victims as young as five years old or younger. Swift was arrested in 2022 after students caught him watching child porn while at school.
Banda, Demeny, and Swift are among hundreds of Texas teachers and school employees accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years.