A high school football coach who admitted to sexually abusing a 15-year-old female student was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison but plans to appeal.
During sentencing, the coach’s younger sister revealed that he had also victimized her years earlier. Meanwhile, prominent Amarillo residents, including the police chief, submitted letters supporting the confessed abuser.
Cole Underwood, 29, was the head football coach and athletic director at Perryton Independent School District when he began grooming a freshman basketball player.
Underwood exchanged nude photos with the girl via Snapchat and used the school’s communication app ParentSquare to arrange meetings.
He had sex with the girl more than a dozen times in his office. Surveillance video captured Underwood and the student entering his office after school hours.
Underwood was arrested in April 2024 by local law enforcement and charged with sexual assault of a child.
In June, federal authorities charged Underwood with enticement and attempted enticement of a minor.
A lawsuit filed by the victim’s family in August claimed Perryton hired Underwood despite knowing about inappropriate behavior during his previous job at Amarillo ISD that had earned him the nickname “Perv.”
Underwood pleaded guilty in September and was sentenced on February 11 by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.
During a sentencing hearing, Underwood’s younger sister Claire revealed that Cole Underwood had also sexually abused her for years, from the time she was in fifth grade until her freshman year of high school.
Claire Underwood shared a copy of her statement to the court on Facebook.
In her statement, Claire described her older brother as a “diabolical mastermind” and said “he knew it was so wrong he blamed it on a youth porn addiction that has followed him into adulthood after I finally confronted him all those years later. The issue is most porn addicts don’t abuse their sisters.”
She said that while they were growing up, Cole was a “golden child,” so she feared no one would believe he could be abusing her.
Cole Underwood had been a varsity athlete at Perryton High School, including quarterback of the football team.
“I hold immense resentment of every single person that put Cole, the golden child, on a pedestal to this day,” Claire told the judge.
The prominent people of Amarillo’s hierarchy, a congressman’s spouse, Amarillo business owners, Amarillo police personnel, coaches—each of those 14 people who wrote letters telling this court what a great person Cole is have no idea what and who they put their names behind.
The 14 people included Nancy Seliger, wife of former state senator Kel Seliger, and Amarillo Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld.
Birkenfeld wrote to the judge that he was “shocked” and “saddened” to learn Underwood was guilty of sexually abusing a young student. But he said, “Cole was a good kid” and asked the court to consider “the totality of circumstances,” including Underwood’s lack of criminal history and “redeeming qualities.”
“I want to say what a disheartening disgrace it is to know they are the type of people to defend and make excuses for a convicted pedophile,” Claire added.
She noted that her brother chose to target the “vulnerable population of high school girls and weaponize his power as an administrator for his own selfish actions time and time again.”
Cole Underwood has held a teaching certificate since 2017. He worked in Amarillo ISD from 2017 to 2022, then moved to Perryton ISD. His certification is currently under review by the Texas Education Agency.
“I pray he finds help while he’s inside because God knows he needs it,” Claire’s message to the court concluded.
Underwood’s student victim also spoke at the sentencing hearing. She described how the situation escalated from Underwood acting as a confidant to isolating her and pressuring her for sex.
“I had no idea that he was slowly in the process of grooming me. I genuinely thought that he actually cared about me,” she said in a victim impact statement. “I didn’t know how to stop it… He convinced me to shut everyone out.”
She added, “I hope if there is a girl out there who is going through what I have been through, she has the chance to hear my story to know it’s okay to speak up.”
Claire Underwood shared a similar message on Facebook.
“A fear of being judged outweighed doing what was right for so long. And I’m so sorry for that,” she posted. “But I am no longer embarrassed that this is my past. I hope if someone is going through this, you can share these words and embolden them to speak up.”
Following the sentencing, Cole Underwood’s attorney filed a notice of appeal.
Underwood is among hundreds of Texas teachers accused of sex crimes involving students and other children in just the past few years.
