Feds sentence former Texas basketball coach to 40 years in massive child exploitation case

Authorities say more than 100 victims were targeted through encrypted platforms on social media and dark web

Authorities in Louisiana have sentenced a former Texas private school and club basketball coach to 40 years in federal prison for a massive child exploitation ring that included more than 100 victims. / Katie Goodale / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

A former North Texas private school and select basketball coach has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after admitting to a scheme that coerced minors into creating sexual content, federal authorities said.

Coach Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison

Michael Bo Peacock, 50, of Denton, previously worked as an assistant girls’ basketball coach at Grapevine Faith Christian School and also coached club and travel basketball in the area. He pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.

U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Peacock to 480 months in prison. He was also ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release and pay a $50,000 fine. According to a news release published on justice.gov by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, Peacock’s sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.

“This sentence should send a strong message to anyone who may be involved in this type of behavior and the sexual exploitation of minor children that this crime will not be tolerated,” Van Hook said in the release. “Our office and the state and federal agents who investigate these cases are committed to standing strong together in the fight to end this type of illegal activity in our nation and internationally. We will continue to work to protect our children from being preyed upon by offenders such as this.”

Authorities Detail Scope of Crimes

Peacock worked with Daniel Perryman Collins, 35, of Pineville, Louisiana, who was sentenced earlier this year to 27 years and one month in prison. Between January and November 2023, prosecutors said, the men contacted children through social media and the dark web, using threats and blackmail to force victims to create explicit images and videos. Peacock operated from the Dallas area, while Collins conducted his criminal activity from Pineville.

Authorities said the men stored and shared the illicit content through an encrypted overseas cloud-based file hosting platform. Investigators noted that advanced security measures were used to conceal their activities. According to prosecutors, more than 100 children were exploited during the scheme. The FBI recovered the material after executing a search warrant at Collins’ residence on Nov. 16, 2023.

FBI and Federal Agencies Lead Investigation

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, with assistance from field offices in Dallas and New Orleans. According to the same DOJ release, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division highlighted the bureau’s role in uncovering hidden networks targeting children.

“Through relentless investigations and cutting-edge technology, the FBI works every day to uncover hidden networks that exploit children,” Perez said in the release. “This case underscores the relentless dedication of the FBI's Child Exploitation Operational Unit to ensuring no predator can thrive at the expense of our children. Offenders like Michael Bo Peacock preyed on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, and we will stop at nothing to identify, investigate and bring these predators to justice.”

Officials said the case involved extensive coordination across jurisdictions and multiple federal offices. Prosecutors described the offenses as involving careful planning, the use of technology to evade detection, and ongoing efforts to exploit children over nearly a year.

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