Perryton, Texas – Former Perryton High School football coach Cole Underwood was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 in a historic case that has shocked the Perryton community. Announced by Chad Meacham, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, the sentence marks the end of a horrific court struggle revealing the dark underbelly of abuse within the school system.
Underwood, 29, is charged severely for his illegal contact with a 15-year-old student whose name is legally Jane Doe in court records. The charges result from claims Underwood had sex with the juvenile more than a dozen times within the walls of his school office. From February to May 2024, these behaviors clearly violated authority and trust, which finally brought him down.
When Perryton Independent School District’s superintendent reported suspicions of an improper contact between the coach and the student, the inquiry of Underwood’s behavior started to fall apart in May 2024. A key piece of evidence turned out to be surveillance footage showing Underwood contacting the girl alone after school hours which is against the clear instructions not to engage in one-on-one contacts.
Underwood was seen in the video pushing open an outdoor door and cutting off the lights, therefore creating an environment fit for his misbehavior. About 15 minutes later, the young girl entered the darkened building via the tampered door and headed into Underwood’s office, so setting the scene for their many meetings.
Underwood’s perspective was chillingly described by Federal Agent Nathan Newland, who testified at the June 13, 2024 preliminary examination and detention session located at the federal court. Newland said Underwood thought his relationship with Jane Doe was divinely ordained.
“It’s God’s divine plan for them to be together,” Underwood said, indicating a twisted sense of justification for his actions. This belief system further complicated the case, as it showcased Underwood’s manipulation and grooming tactics used to exploit his position of authority.
Underwood entered a guilty plea in September 2024 on the allegation of enticement of a minor, at the end of the case. This plea helped him to get his 30-year sentence since it emphasized the seriousness and planned character of his activities. Emphasizing the great distrust and the long-lasting effects of the crimes on the victim, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk presided over the sentencing. Apart from the prison term, Underwood was compelled to serve a lifetime of supervised release and is now obliged to register as a sex offender, therefore guaranteeing continuous observation of his behavior following incarceration.
The prosecution’s presenting of damaging evidence highlighted the legal process. One especially striking item was a picture of a letter Jane Doe tried to mail to Underwood’s mother on June 4, the day he was arrested. According to the FBI, Underwood wrote this letter precisely and gave Jane Doe particular instructions.
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The contents, which claimed their love and desire to marry and leave Perryton, provided a clear picture of the degree of control involved. The relationship started when the two first crossed paths at a junior high school track meet—an event that reportedly prepared Underwood for her deliberate attempts to keep in touch, sometimes traveling significant distances to meet Jane Doe outside of school hours.
Underwood’s actions went beyond the classroom. Strict no contact with Jane Doe was one of the bail terms, yet he blatantly broke this rule. Underwood allegedly met Jane Doe secretly to give her a secret phone, thus avoiding her parents’ knowledge.
Through services like TikTok and an encrypted messaging app, their messages flew through and they shared inappropriate and inappropriate content. Under federal law, Jane Doe told the FBI that the two exchanged naked pictures on Snapchat, which the prosecution classified as child pornography. The degree of digital communication highlights the seriousness of Underwood’s misbehavior even as authorities are still looking for the real pictures.
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The FBI dug into Underwood’s employment records from both Amarillo Independent School District (AISD) and Perryton ISD, therefore highlighting the depths of his inappropriate activity. Underwood’s previous employment as Amarillo High School’s volleyball coach under further examination revealed a history of flirty and improper social media connections with students. AISD reinstated him even on administrative leave, concluding just “innocent communication” from their results. Perryton ISD, on the other hand, adopted a different approach, including following specific instructions to prohibit Underwood from being alone with Jane Doe, therefore highlighting a pattern of ignoring red flags that supported his violent behavior.
Emotional testimony from the victim came to light during the detention hearing revealed the personal suffering Underwood caused. Jane Doe bravely described in her victim impact statement how Underwood changed from a supposedly sympathetic friend to an isolating predator who aggressively pushed her into sexual contacts.
“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. I felt like I seriously had no one but him.”
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Apart from the victim’s account, Underwood’s own mother Linda Underwood also spoke during the court hearing. Linda, who had housed him until his arrest and posted his bail, said she was shocked and uninformed of her son’s illegal relationship with Jane Doe. She related how Cole had told her he they were soulmates meant to be married, therefore contrasting their supposed love with the legal reality of Underwood’s activities.
The sentence also addressed the possibility for other victims. The FBI said Underwood’s conduct pattern might not have confined Jane Doe by herself. Following his arrest, reports surfaced of others coming forward; those with knowledge of Underwood’s activities pushed police to look further, implying that the degree of his misbehavior could be more than first found. This potential emphasizes the need of constant attention and strict control inside educational institutions in order to stop such abuses from spreading uncontrolled.
The court decided as part of Cole Underwood’s sentence that he would be under lifelong supervised release after incarceration. Underwood will be under constant observation to guarantee that he will not try any more manipulation or abuse even after serving his term. Furthermore, his registered sex offender status will be a lifelong mark of his wrongdoing, both acting as a public warning of his activities and a personal reminder.
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The way the community responded to the sentence has been one of a mix of relief and continuous anxiety. Although the 30-year term offers a sense of justice, the victim’s scars and the mistrust of school officials throughout the community still need time to heal. Rebuilding this trust, putting more strict security measures in place, and creating settings where students feel safe and supported falls on educational institutions today.
When one considers the situation, one finds that the disaster was caused in part by structural flaws. The first superintendent’s report and the disregarded warnings from Underwood’s tenure at Amarillo High School emphasize the crucial need of thorough training and procedures to quickly recognize and correct unacceptable behavior. Underwood’s ability to control the classroom as well as the channels of communication with a minor speaks to major oversight flaws that have to be fixed if we are to properly safeguard students.
The case of Cole Underwood is just another reminder as Perryton High School and the wider Amarillo community go forward of the need of vigilance, openness, and relentless dedication to student safety. It emphasizes how urgently educational institutions should give proactive steps top priority in protecting their students from individuals who misuse trust and authority. Through lessons learnt and institutional reforms, it is expected that a breach of confidence would never recur, thereby enabling students to pursue their education in surroundings free from exploitation and fear.
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Cole Underwood’s sentence not only marks the end of a very grief chapter but also inspires communities to get active. It underlines our shared need to defend the most defenseless and to hold those who abuse and profit answerable. The real definition of justice transcends the confines of the prison and is ingrained in the reforms and safeguards meant to stop future tragedies from materializing in classrooms throughout the country.
