A married East Texas teacher and football coach is now facing a federal child exploitation charge as he remains in jail on state charges for allegedly raping a 16-year-old student in his pickup truck.
Derek Bryan Peveto, 46, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 7 on a charge of production of child pornography, the term used in law for child sexual abuse material.
If convicted, Peveto faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas announced the federal charge.
The indictment alleges that on June 13, 2026, Peveto knowingly used a minor victim to “engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct, using digital devices, including an Apple iPad tablet.”
On June 22, Peveto was arrested in Jefferson County on a state charge of sexual assault of a child (statutory rape). The alleged victim was a 16-year-old female student. The legal age of consent in Texas is 17. Peveto was also charged with improper relationship between educator and student, trafficking of persons, and indecency with a child by sexual contact. All the offenses are second-degree felonies punishable by 2 to 20 years in state prison.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigators said they found photos and videos on the student’s devices that “clearly identified” the girl and Peveto “engaging in sexual intercourse on or about June 13, 2026” and determined there had been multiple sexual encounters using Peveto’s truck at multiple locations.
An arrest affidavit stated that “there is probable cause to believe that Derek Peveto intentionally and knowingly committed the offense of Sexual Assault of a Child, while using his position as a school district employee to facilitate the relationship.”
The girl was a student in the Hardin-Jefferson Independent School District where Peveto worked during the 2025-26 school year before being hired by Jasper ISD this summer, his fourth job change in seven years.
Hardin County’s sheriff also charged Peveto with six additional felonies: four counts of sexual assault of a child, one count of improper relationship, and one count of promotion of child pornography, a first-degree felony.
The four sexual assault counts were enhanced with bigamy charges that increased the offenses to first-degree felonies. It’s unclear exactly how Peveto allegedly acted with the girl “under the appearance of being married.”
While child sexual assault cases rely on testimony of abused minors, the federal charge can be prosecuted based on the crime scene images.
Peveto remains in the Jefferson County Jail. Five state charges are shown in Peveto’s jail record. A county official told Texas Scorecard their policy prohibits posting charges that reference children.
Online records show Peveto worked for four school districts before joining Jasper ISD, starting in 2018-19: Beaumont ISD, Kountze ISD, Vidor ISD, and Hardin-Jefferson ISD.
Frequent moves are considered an employment red flag and a possible sign of school districts “passing the trash.”
Jasper ISD hired Peveto as a football and track coach and special education teacher for the 2026–27 school year. After learning of his arrest, Superintendent John Seybold said Jasper ISD had ended Peveto’s summer coaching assignment and “revoked his offer of employment.”
Peveto has held a Texas teaching certificate for physical education since 2003 and for special education since 2005. His certificate includes a “Recognized” designation, a distinction awarded to “highly effective public school teachers” for which they receive extra pay.
The Texas Education Agency is currently reviewing Peveto’s certification. The charges triggered an indefinite suspension of his certificate and temporary placement on the state’s Do Not Hire Registry until the criminal charges are finally resolved.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.
In just the past few years, hundreds of Texas school employees have been charged with sex crimes involving students and other children, and thousands have been reported to the TEA for sexual misconduct.
