Former Grapevine Faith basketball coach gets 40 years in child exploitation case
A former Grapevine basketball coach has been sentenced to 40 years in prison on charges of sexually exploiting children, federal prosecutors said.
Michael Bo Peacock, 50, of Denton, was involved in what authorities described as an extensive operation to produce child pornography, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana.
Peacock, who was sentenced in September, was the assistant girls’ basketball coach at Grapevine Faith Christian School, according to the Dallas Morning News.
Peacock and a Louisiana man, Daniel Perryman Collins, 35, collaborated to force children to produce pornographic and sexually exploitative material, prosecutor said. Collins did all of his work in Louisiana, and Peacock operated in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Peacock pleaded guilty in November 2024 to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of enticing a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, according to the news release. Collins pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced in February to 27 years, 1 month in prison.
Both men met their victims online and coerced them to produce the material using threats and blackmail, according to the news release.
Collins used advanced security measures to ensure the content couldn’t be traced back to him or Peacock, officials said.
The men had access to an overseas cloud-based file sharing service that enabled them to share the child pornography they had produced or obtained, according to the statement. Authorities estimate that over 100 victims were involved.
“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,” acting United States attorney Alexander C. Van Hook said. “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.”
In a statement to the Dallas Morning News, Grapevine Faith school officials said they were not aware of any students being involved.
The school notified families and fired Peacock when the investigation came to light in late 2023, according to the Dallas Morning News.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority at Grapevine Faith Christian school and we are committed to maintaining a safe, Christ-centered environment,” a spokesperson said. “We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who pursued justice in this case and pray that his sentencing brings a measure of peace and healing to those impacted.”
