If you want the short version, scroll to “The Quick Read.”
The case, in one paragraph
On Oct. 9, 2025, a Collin County jury convicted Princeton resident David Rojas Sanchez, 66, of two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact involving an 11-year-old. The life sentence was publicized by the district attorney’s office on Oct. 14, 2025.
Jurors also heard that Sanchez was previously convicted in 2008 in McLennan County of indecency with a child by sexual contact. He served eight years, was released in 2013, and later moved to Princeton. Jurors were also told about a 1986 attempted voluntary manslaughter conviction and two pending Milam County stalking charges involving children before imposing a life sentence, the statutory maximum within the enhanced punishment range.
Why the punishment could be life
Indecency with a child by sexual contact is ordinarily a second degree felony carrying a punishment range of 2 to 20 years under Texas Penal Code §21.11.
However, under Penal Code §12.42, prior felony convictions can increase the punishment range.
• One prior non state jail felony allows the state to punish a second degree felony as a first degree felony (5 to 99 years or life).
• Two sequential prior felonies place a defendant in the habitual offender range of 25 to 99 years or life.
Those enhancement paths explain how a jury could reach a life sentence in a repeat offender scenario.
Scale: what’s happening in Princeton
Raw counts of registered offenders often rise when a city’s population grows quickly.
Princeton was the fastest growing city in the United States, expanding about 30.6 percent between 2023 and 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
A public, non official aggregator currently shows approximately 87 registered offenders within Princeton city limits. That number fluctuates over time.
Residents should verify current information using official tools such as:
• Princeton Police Department guidance
• Collin County OffenderWatch
• Texas Department of Public Safety sex offender registry
Scale: what’s happening in Texas
By total number of registrants, Texas has the largest sex offender registry in the United States, with roughly 75,700 registrants, representing about 10 percent of the national total based on an August 2024 compilation.
These figures should be treated as a moving snapshot, since registry totals change as individuals are added or removed.
Risk, repeat offending, and what research shows
Sexual recidivism varies depending on the population studied and the length of the follow up period.
Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) found:
• 5.3 percent rearrest and 3.5 percent reconviction for a sex offense within three years among 9,691 sex offenders released in 1994.
• 7.7 percent arrested for rape or sexual assault within nine years among those released for rape or sexual assault in 2005.
Rearrest rates for any offense are significantly higher, and outcomes vary depending on age, offense type, and follow up timeframes.
Underreporting is real
Many cases of child sexual abuse are never reported.
The Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas summarize existing research as showing that about three out of five children never disclose sexual abuse, based on peer reviewed literature.
Both realities can exist at the same time:
• Short horizon recidivism metrics may appear lower than expected.
• True victimization rates may be undercounted due to underreporting.
What this means for Princeton right now
• Repeat case, maximum outcome. Collin County juries can and do use enhancement law to reach life sentences in repeat offender cases.
• Growth changes exposure by volume. With 30.6 percent year over year population growth, raw registry numbers will naturally increase even if per capita risk remains stable.
• Policy mindset: precision over panic. Underreporting warrants vigilance, but risk metrics depend heavily on methodology and timeframe. Verified registries and prevention education remain more reliable tools than rumor or speculation.
The Quick Read
A Princeton resident and repeat offender, David Rojas Sanchez (66), was convicted on Oct. 9, 2025 of two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact and sentenced to life in prison. The outcome was publicized Oct. 14.
He had a 2008 indecency with a child conviction (served eight years and was released in 2013 before moving to Princeton). Jurors also heard about a 1986 attempted voluntary manslaughter conviction and two pending Milam County stalking cases.
Princeton is currently the fastest growing city in the United States, meaning raw registry counts will tend to rise as population grows. A public snapshot shows about 87 registered offenders in the city this week, though residents should verify through official sources such as Princeton PD, Collin County OffenderWatch, and the Texas DPS registry.
Texas has the largest registry in the country, with roughly 75,700 registrants.
Research shows sexual reoffending rates vary widely depending on the study population and time horizon, while child abuse remains widely underreported. For that reason, residents should rely on verified registries and factual reporting rather than speculation.
All information in this report is based on public court records and official statements. Registry data should always be verified through the Princeton Police Department or Texas DPS registry tools.
Image: Collin County Sheriff via FOX 4 News
