Copperas Cove, Tx (FOX 44) – A 21-year-old man is being held in the Coryell County Jail on charges he sexually abused a young boy and young girl under the age of 14 for a number of years.

Dakota Allen Peitz was arrested following an investigation that began September 28 when the 13-year-old female victim made an outcry and was examined at McLane Children’s Hospital.

She had reported being sexually assaulted by a man who was known to the family for five years.

An arrest affidavit stated that after the girl made her outcry, an 11-year-old boy described as autistic, came forward with accusations that the same man had been sexually assaulting him for years as well. The affidavit stated that the boy told his mother his assaults began when they lived in California and continued in Copperas Cove.

The boy provided information during interviews conducted by the Children’s Advocacy Center. The affidavit stated that the boy told interviewers he was threatened that he would be hurt “really bad” if he told anyone what had happened. The affidavit stated that the victim said he was told he would be choked. The affidavit stated that it was difficult to know the exact dates the abuse began, with the charging portion of the complaint showing a start date of 2018 when the victim was moved to Texas.

Following the investigation and interviews with the suspect, Peitz was arrested by Copperas Cove police and later taken to the Coryell County Jail.

Jail records showed him being held on two counts of Continuous Sex Abuse of a Child with the victims under 14 with his bond set at $50,000.