HOUSTON — A former Boling, Texas resident and former president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after admitting to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jerry James Svatek Jr., 61, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. to 480 months (40 years) in federal prison after pleading guilty on Dec. 5, 2025, to one count of production of child sexual abuse material and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in a total prison sentence of 480 months.
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard victim impact statements from the parents of the minor victim detailing the harm caused to the family. The judge also noted the particularly egregious nature of the crimes, stating Svatek had exploited his position within his own family. According to federal prosecutors, after creating the material, Svatek joined an underground online community where he continued distributing images involving a close family relative.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Svatek to pay $78,500 in restitution to the victims. Once released from prison, he will spend the remainder of his life on supervised release, where he will be subject to strict conditions limiting his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Undercover Investigation
Federal authorities said the investigation began in 2025 as Homeland Security Investigations conducted undercover operations targeting an online forum known as FetLife, a social networking platform where investigators alleged Svatek was sharing child sexual abuse material.
According to prosecutors, during undercover conversations, Svatek allegedly exchanged multiple images taken from videos involving the victim. Investigators said he also discussed his desire to have sexual contact with prepubescent children, admitted to sexual contact with at least one three-year-old child, and sought out others engaged in similar criminal conduct.
Traffic Stop Led to Evidence
On June 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop involving Svatek’s vehicle and seized his cellphone.
A forensic examination of the device reportedly uncovered more than 150 videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Federal prosecutors said the material included prepubescent victims as young as six months old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Investigators also said Svatek admitted to creating videos involving a minor relative in a bathtub and distributing still images through an online messaging platform.
Local Connection
Svatek previously served as president of the Boling Independent School District Board of Trustees, making the case one that drew significant attention throughout Boling and Wharton County when federal charges were first announced. Wharton Post previously covered the investigation following his arrest and later guilty plea.
Agencies Involved
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Rangers, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office, and the Boone County (North Carolina) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Teper as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on combating the sexual exploitation of children.
Svatek remains in federal custody and will be transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date to begin serving his sentence.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice