Former Rochester bus driver pleads guilty to child pornography charge Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York Byline: Barbara Burns Dateline: Rochester, New York Date: 23 May 2024 Subjects: American Government , Buses, Crime Topic: Tomas Rosario

ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Tomas Rosario, 75, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to attempting to receive child pornography, before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Rosario was a school bus driver in Monroe County. On March 11, 2022, without any other adults or children present, Rosario transported a 13-year-old (victim) to school. During the ride, Rosario allowed the victim to sit in the front seat and proceeded to engage her in personal and sexually explicit conversation, including asking the victim if she had ever engaged in sexual conduct with her boyfriend. At the end of the day, Rosario picked the victim up from school, and again allowed her to sit in the front seat. Rosario continued to engage in sexually explicit conversation with the victim, and ultimately subjected her to instances of sexual contact. In addition, Rosario gave the victim his phone number, showed the victim his home, and encouraged the victim to call and visit if she ever wanted to skip school. Rosario’s actions were recorded on the bus surveillance system. In one instance, Rosario instructed the victim to take sexually explicit photos of herself and send them to him. On the following day, Rosario encountered the victim in a convenience store and warned her not to tell anyone what he had done the day before. That encounter was captured by the store’s security cameras.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Police Chief David Smith, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

Sentencing is scheduled for September 12, 2024, before Judge Geraci. 

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Barbara Burns

716-843-5817

Updated May 23, 2024