A former Hardin-Jefferson ISD teacher and coach is sitting in the Jefferson County Jail after investigators say he had an ongoing sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student at Hardin-Jefferson High School.
Derek Bryan Peveto, 46, was arrested on a warrant for sexual assault of a child following an investigation that began when the teenager’s parents brought her to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained from Magistrate Marc DeRouen, the case broke open on June 18, 2026, when the girl’s parents went to investigators and turned over her electronic devices.
The family told deputies the teen had been involved in a sexual relationship with a football coach at her school and had been communicating with him through her phone.
Investigators say a forensic search of those devices uncovered photos and videos showing Peveto and the student engaged in sexual conduct. The affidavit states the images and videos clearly identify both individuals having sex on or about June 13, 2026.
Detectives determined that Peveto had picked the teen up in Beaumont and driven her to a Fuel Maxx convenience store, where the assault took place inside his pickup truck.
The affidavit notes there were multiple encounters involving the truck at different locations, and investigators believe Peveto used his position as a school employee to facilitate the relationship.
Peveto was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on Monday. A magistrate set his bond at $500,000 and ordered that if he is released, he is to have no contact with the victim and cannot be around minors without adult supervision.
Hardin-Jefferson ISD said Peveto worked in the district during the 2025-26 school year and is no longer employed there. The district said it has notified the Texas Education Agency and Child Protective Services and is cooperating with law enforcement.
Jasper ISD, where Peveto had accepted a job as head track coach, defensive coordinator, and teacher for the upcoming school year, said it immediately ended his summer coaching assignment and pulled the job offer once it learned of the arrest. Jasper ISD said it has no information suggesting any of its own students were involved or affected.
Advocates Point to Warning Signs of Grooming
The case has prompted local advocates to speak out about how grooming often unfolds.
Bonnie Spotts of Rape and Suicide Crisis of Southeast Texas said it frequently starts with an adult building trust with both a child and their family through extra attention, gifts, or rides home, then gradually pushing for one-on-one situations.
Brittany DeLaGarza, education coordinator with Embracing Freedom, said the early signs can look harmless, like a friendship that feels a bit too close.
She urged parents to watch for changes in a child’s eating, sleeping, friendships, grades, or sudden secrecy around their phone.
Pushing for Better Boundaries
Both advocates said personal calls or texts between students and adults in authority should be avoided entirely, with communication kept to group platforms tied to school activities.
They also encouraged parents to have ongoing conversations with their kids about consent and physical boundaries, and to create an environment where children feel safe coming forward if something feels wrong.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.
