New Mexico law enforcement says an online tip about child sex abuse material led to the arrest of a school bus driver for special-needs students.
Patrick Bilbo was arrested Friday at the Albuquerque Public Schools bus depot, and his phone was confiscated at that time.
‘This case is especially disturbing because it involves someone who was entrusted with the care of some of our most vulnerable children.’
A criminal complaint said that Bilbo’s phone had been signed into email accounts that were associated with the dissemination of child sex abuse material, including the graphic rape of young children.
Bilbo was identified through information associated with the accounts that included his birth date and his last name, according to a press release from the New Mexico Department of Justice.
He was charged with two counts of distribution of visual medium of sexual exploitation of a child under 13 years of age and one count of possession of visual medium of sexual exploitation of a child under 13 years of age.
One of the videos allegedly associated with Bilbo included the text, “All pedophiles should rape kids,” while the bottom of the video had the text, “#pedopride.”
Each charge carries a possible prison sentence of 11 years, if he’s convicted.
Albuquerque Public Schools senior director of communications Martin Salazar said in a statement that Bilbo had been placed on administrative leave.
“We are deeply disturbed by the charges brought against Patrick Bilbo,” Salazar said. “We became aware of the criminal case against him this morning and immediately began the process of placing him on administrative leave. He was taken into custody by authorities at our west-side transportation center early this morning.”
Salazar said that Bilbo passed a background check when he was hired in Sept. 2024 and that there were no reports of “inappropriate behavior” about him during his time as a bus driver.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez posted video footage from the police arrest.
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“This case is especially disturbing because it involves someone who was entrusted with the care of some of our most vulnerable children,” Torrez said in a statement.
“We will pursue offenders like this with absolute urgency and relentless focus,” he added. “Our message is simple: If you target or exploit children in New Mexico, you will be found, you will be arrested, and you will be held accountable.”
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Patrick bilbo, Special needs school bus driver, Child sex abuse material, School worker caught with child porn, Crime