Islip school bus driver allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with child under 13, officials say

A school bus driver has been arrested and charged with engaging in sexual conduct with a child less than 13 years old, according to a letter sent out by the Islip school district on Wednesday.

The driver, who was not identified, was an employee of the Suffolk Transportation Service and began driving routes for the school district on Sept. 2 until he was removed on Sept. 22, Superintendent Dennis O’Hara wrote in the letter. 

"This individual was removed from service as soon as our transportation provider learned of the allegation and arrest," O’Hara said in the letter. "He will not return to our district."

The letter continued: "At this time, we have no information indicating that any students in our district were involved in the charges."

The district told Newsday the child involved in the alleged incident was not a student at Islip.

Thomas McAteer, executive vice president of the Suffolk Transportation Service, said the driver has been "removed from service without pay, pending resolution of charges."

McAteer said the driver was hired in March 2024, but it’s unclear what other Long Island districts the driver worked for. He said the driver was vetted and the company didn’t find anything in his background or reference checks.    

"This person had absolutely nothing in their background that would’ve indicated that they would’ve been capable of ... the charges," he said. "That being said, now the process plays out and we will cooperate completely with the district, with the police and the district attorney."

O'Hara said drivers are subject to criminal history screenings through sex offender registries, motor vehicle records and other employment verification checks. He said the district will keep the community informed of any developments.

"I want to reiterate we are taking these accusations extremely seriously, and we remain committed to assuring the safety and well-being of our students," O'Hara said.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Check back for updates on this developing story.