Long Island Bus Driver Indicted on Charges of Kidnapping and Raping Student Passenger
In a disturbing case unfolding on Long Island, New York, a grand jury has indicted bus driver Giovanny Campos, 50, also known as Giovanny Guzman, on charges of kidnapping and raping a female student passenger, according to prosecutors on Monday.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly revealed that Campos allegedly subjected the student from Valley Stream to repeated sexual assaults between January and July. The attacks reportedly took place both on Campos’s bus and at his apartment in Queens.
The grand jury’s indictment includes charges of second-degree kidnapping, third-degree rape, two counts of a third-degree criminal sex act, and reckless endangerment, reflecting the severity of the alleged crimes.
Campos, who entered a plea of not guilty during his Thursday court appearance, had his bail set at $150,000 cash, $300,000 bond, and $1.25 million partially secured bond. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Nassau County police’s Special Victims Squad arrested Campos on September 28. The accused, employed by the Cheese Bus company, operated a route from Central High School to North High School in Valley Stream, covering a distance of approximately 3 miles.
Prosecutors detailed the harrowing incidents, stating, “The defendant raped the child multiple times, including in a parking lot while still on the bus. The defendant also transported the teenager to his apartment in Jamaica, Queens, to engage in sexual acts with her.”
The accused’s legal representation, provided by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County according to court documents, has not issued any comments at the time of reporting. Attempts to reach Cheese Bus Inc. for a statement on the matter were unsuccessful.
District Attorney Donnelly emphasized the breach of trust in the case, stating, “School bus drivers are trusted to transport and protect our children, but this defendant allegedly preyed on a teenage student and sexually abused her both on his bus and at his apartment in Queens.” The grave charges underscore the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of students in transportation settings.
A bus driver on Long Island, New York, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of kidnapping and raping a female student passenger, prosecutors say. https://t.co/JfoWSmh4MQ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 5, 2023