An American filmmaker, convicted sex offender & pedophile. He has primarily worked in the horror genre, most notably as the writer-director of the commercially successful Jeepers Creepers (2001) and its sequels Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003) and Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017). Outside of horror, Salva wrote and directed the fantasy-drama film Powder (1995).

In 1988, Salva was convicted of sexual misconduct with one of Clownhouse's underage stars who was 12 years old at the time and videotaping one of the encounters. Commercial videotapes and magazines containing child pornography were also found in his home. Salva pleaded guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct, oral sex with a person under 14, and procuring a child for pornography. He was sentenced to three years in state prison, of which he served 15 months. He completed his parole in 1992.