Texas man arrested for possessing child pornography while working as school bus driver in Fairbanks Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Alaska Byline: Reagan Zimmerman-Hartzheim Dateline: Fairbanks, Alaska Date: 5 February 2025 Subjects: American Government , Buses, Crime Topic: Scott O’Toole

The FBI is seeking additional information.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Texas man was arrested early this week on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of child pornography while temporarily working in Fairbanks.

According to court documents, in December 2024, the Fairbanks Police Department (FPD) received information that a USB drive found in the business center of a Fairbanks hotel allegedly contained child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

FPD provided the USB drive to the FBI Anchorage Field Office to process for forensic review. On Jan. 30, 2025, federal agents successfully imaged and extracted the USB drive and found information linking it to Scott O’Toole, 60, of Joshua, Texas. Agents also found images on the drive allegedly depicting child sexual abuse. Within 24 hours of the FBI’s review of the USB drive, law enforcement identified and located O’Toole in Texas, and arrested him shortly thereafter.

Court documents further allege that federal agents learned O’Toole was on Temporary Duty Assignment (TDY) to Fairbanks as a school bus driver between November and December 2024, and that he stayed at the hotel where the USB drive was found. Shortly after the USB drive was discovered, O’Toole returned to Texas.

O’Toole is currently charged with one count of possession of child pornography in the District of Alaska. If convicted, O’Toole faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Vogel of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case, with assistance from FPD and the Texas State Troopers. If anyone has information concerning O’Toole’s alleged actions in Alaska, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska thanks their colleagues in the Eastern District of Texas for their coordination on this case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Reagan Zimmerman-Hartzheim

Public Affairs Officer

reagan.hartzheim@usdoj.gov

Updated February 5, 2025

Press Release Number: 25-06