Former school bus driver pleads guilty to sexual abuse; victim says trauma will haunt her for life – Shaw Local

OREGON – A former school bus driver admitted Wednesday to sexually abusing a young girl in May 2016.

Michael A. Gaston, 68, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse (2nd class felony) as he appeared before Judge John Redington with his attorney, Aaron Buscemi.

Assistant District Attorney Michael Leisten told Redington that the state would drop six counts of sexual assault – Class 1 felonies – in exchange for Gaston pleading guilty to a seventh count filed Wednesday.

In this count, Gaston was accused of committing a sexual act with the girl, who was between 13 and 17 years old, for his own gratification.

When Redington asked if he was willing to plead guilty, Gaston replied, “Yes, Your Honor.”

Gaston was a bus driver in Forrestville Valley School District 221, but was fired on March 1, 2023, according to school board meeting minutes.

Buscemi said Gaston and the girl met at a “local school.” He said Gaston has no criminal history other than the charges he is currently facing.

Valerie Letko, a Chicago attorney representing the victim, read a statement from the girl to the court in which the girl said Gaston first sexually abused her 7 years ago during a camping trip and abused her when she was a vulnerable teenager.

“He came into my life when I needed a father figure the most, and unfortunately he took advantage while teachers and school administrators ignored every warning sign,” Letko, an attorney with the law firm Stinar Gould Grieco & Hensley, read to the court.

“The trauma I suffered will haunt me for the rest of my life,” said Letko, reading from the victim’s statement. “I was brave enough to find my voice and talk about it.”

Redington agreed to sentence Gaston to 48 months of probation under several conditions, including that he successfully complete specialized sex offender therapy as ordered by the court and the Ogle County Probation Department. Gaston had agreed to a sex offender evaluation by a licensed counselor with the Sex Offender Management Board in October 2023. That evaluation was not made public and was sealed in court records.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, the board was created “to standardize the evaluation, treatment and care of sex offenders at every stage of the criminal, juvenile and mental health systems to reduce the likelihood of these offenders reoffending and to improve the protection of victims and potential victims. The board provides education and training to probation officers, law enforcement, treatment providers and others involved in the care of sex offenders.”

Redington also ordered Gaston to have no contact with the victim without the consent of the Probation Department and to pay all costs associated with evaluation and/or treatment for both himself and the victim.

A prison sentence of 180 days was postponed until May 2028, the end of the probation period. If Gaston completes the probation period without violations, he will not have to serve the prison sentence.

Redington also ordered that Gaston not accept any employment that would allow him to have contact with minors under the age of 18 without the approval of the Probation Department. The judge also prohibited Gaston from having any contact with minors without the approval of the court or the Probation Department.

Another condition of his probation is that he is prohibited from possessing any sexually explicit material, including books, magazines, videos or computer transmissions, or any such information stored on electronic devices. Gaston must also submit to any examination of such devices or platforms requested by the Probation Department.

He must also undergo HIV and STD testing and DNA indexing within 45 days and pay $250 to the Illinois State Police Offender DNA Identification Fund.

Redington said fines and costs totaling $2,809 would be covered by Gaston’s bail, which he posted after his arrest in 2023.

Gaston was initially charged with six counts of sexual assault on May 1, 2023. According to court documents, the incidents occurred in May and December 2016 and January, February and March 2017. On May 26, 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested a jury trial.

The charges were filed after Forreston police received a report of a sexual assault incident and began an investigation, Police Chief Chris Thiel said in a 2023 news release.

Gaston was released from custody after posting 10% ($10,000) of a $100,000 bond and remained at large while his case was heard in court.