Texas Coach Nicholas Codutti Charged Over Alleged Abuse of Student, 16, Years Before Head Coach Job

Nicholas Alan Codutti, 43, has been charged with indecency with a child and sexual performance by a child, relating to allegations from 2018 and 2019, when he worked as a coach and teacher at Tomball Independent School District.

The charges follow a months-long inquiry by the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which opened after a report to Child Protective Services in April 2024.

The case has drawn particular attention because Codutti was, at the time of his arrest, no longer at Tomball. He had been hired in 2023 as athletic director and head football coach at Klein High School, and was placed on administrative leave earlier this year once the allegations tied to his earlier post became known to the district.

The situation has also raised questions about the information available to school districts when educators move between Texas school systems.

Klein ISD has said Codutti completed required background checks and received positive professional references before he was hired, and that the district had no information about the alleged conduct at that time.

Timeline of the Texas Coach Investigation

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says the case traces back to 29 April 2024, when Child Protective Services received a report alleging sexual abuse involving a minor and a former Tomball ISD student.

Detectives with the Crimes Against Children Unit spent the following months building the case, and investigators say information developed during that time indicated the alleged abuse began while the accuser was a minor and continued for several years, though the criminal charges themselves concern alleged conduct in 2018 and 2019.

According to the court documents, the accuser has said the relationship began when she was 16 and continued until she was 23. The complaint identifies one alleged victim, and the allegations do not relate to his later posts at Klein or Fulshear, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Codutti was booked into Harris County Jail after being taken into custody by the sheriff's Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, with District 1 deputies assisting. Detectives filed charges against him on 25 September, a day before his arrest.

Codutti appeared in probable-cause court following his arrest, where bond was set at 50,000 US dollars, around 40,000 pounds, on each charge, according to ABC13's review of court documents. The same reporting says he was also subject to restrictions on contact with the accuser and with children under 17.

Klein ISD's Hiring and Leave Timeline

Klein ISD's own hiring announcement, published in 2023, named Codutti as the school's new athletic director and head football coach, noting his previous role as offensive coordinator at Tomball High. The district has said he completed the required background checks and received positive professional references ahead of that appointment.

Klein ISD told families that Codutti was placed on administrative leave and kept away from students from May 2024, once the district learned of allegations connected to his earlier post at Tomball. The district has said it was not aware of the alleged conduct underlying the current charges at the time it hired him.

Klein ISD ended Codutti's employment once it was formally notified of his arrest in September, according to Click2Houston. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said the investigation remains ongoing.

Presumption of Innocence Applies Throughout

Codutti is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The allegations described above reflect claims made by the accuser, statements from the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and court filings, none of which have yet been tested at trial.

Anyone with information relevant to the matter has been asked to contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Children Unit on 713-830-3250. The force has not said when Codutti is next expected in court.