Tomas Rosario, Sexually Abusing a Child, New York 2022

Tomas Rosario, a 74-year-old school bus driver from Rochester, NY, has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl on his bus, as well as witness tampering and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years.

According to the complaint, on March 11, 2022, the Rochester Police Department received a report of a sexual assault of the 13-year-old girl. An investigation revealed that Rosario had allegedly touched the girl inappropriately on the bus, and that he had also engaged in inappropriate sexual discussions with her on the drive to and from school. A review of surveillance video captured on cameras installed on the school van shows Rosario having these conversations with the girl.

Rosario also drove the girl past his residence and told her that if she ever didn’t want to go to school, she could call him. He then gave her a piece of paper with his phone number written on it and told her not to tell anyone about their conversation. During the ride home from school, Rosario directed the girl to do something sexually inappropriate, and when she reminded him that there was a camera inside the vehicle, he inappropriately touched her multiple times.

Rosario also warned the girl not to tell anyone about the incident, and a few days later, he encountered her in a convenience store and again tried to intimidate her into silence. This encounter was captured by the store’s security cameras.

On April 13, 2022, the Rochester Police Department obtained a warrant to search Rosario’s cell phone, during which investigators recovered images of child pornography. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.

The fact that Rosario has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Members of the public who have information regarding this case are asked to call the FBI at 1-585-546-2220.

Tomas Rosario, 74, of Rochester, NY, has been charged with attempted receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and attempted tampering with a witness. Contact information for more information: Barbara Burns, U.S. Attorney’s Office, (716) 843-5817, (716) 551-3051.

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