Ex-Monessen school bus driver pleads guilty to possessing child porn

A former Monessen school bus driver arrested in August on charges of possession of child pornography pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh to possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Jack Brian Laforte, 55, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior Judge Arthur J. Schwab.

Laforte will be sentenced March 17. He could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, Brady said.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and his prior criminal history.

In connection with the guilty plea, Brady said the investigation into Laforte began when Homeland Security Investigations received information about an upload of a child pornographic material from an IP address at Laforte’s home.

On June 14, Brady said law enforcement seized various electronics during the execution of a search warrant at the residence, including a laptop computer. A forensic review of the laptop revealed videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, including of minors who were under 12-years-old, according to the complaint.

The indictment came nearly two decades after Laforte was charged in 2001 in Westmoreland County for sending emails with sexual content to two 14-year-old boys in the Monessen area.

According to court records in Westmoreland County, Laforte was charged with 40 counts of corruption of minors and was sentenced to serve 18 months on probation as part of a jail diversionary program. Laforte was admitted in April 2001 — four months after his arrest — to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program that did not require him to plead guilty to the charges.

As a condition of his county sentence, the judge ordered Laforte not drive a school bus or attend school events.

Despite his previous conviction, it appears Laforte continued to work for the private company that supplies school buses and drivers to the Monessen school district.

Monessen Superintendent Leanne Spazak, in a statement after Laforte’s arrest, said school officials are not responsible for hiring bus drivers.

“We are very disturbed by these charges. We contract our transportation through PA Coach Lines, and have never had a situation such as this before,” Spazak said.

Spazak said the bus company told school administrators Laforte was placed on immediate leave without pay after his arrest.

Representatives from Pennsylvania Coach Lines did not return a call Monday seeking comment.

Laforte will remain free on $25,000 unsecured bond pending sentencing.