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From the: 'Can't make this stuff up' files

Texan

Well-known member
Unfreakinbelievable.... :???:

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Bossier school bus driver arrested

By Carolyn Roy

BOSSIER CITY, LA (KSLA) - A Bossier Parish school bus driver has been arrested and charged with two counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile for using money to lure two 16-year old boys into committing sex acts on him with a variety of objects. Now, Bossier City's Police Chief is asking for parents to talk to their kids, and for other possible victims to come forward.

75-year old Thomas T. Smith Jr. Smith has lived in Bossier City for 25 years and worked for Bossier Schools for the past 13, most recently driving the routes for Greenacres and Rusheon Middle schools.

Chief Halphen say detectives began their investigation on Monday after receiving a disturbing tip from a confidential informant in an unrelated case. Halphen says the details of the case are graphic, but feels he has to "put it out there, because I feel like there's going to be many more victims." Halphen says, "He has confessed to doing this to two children, and I feel there is more. He was paying them to insert objects into his anal cavity for his pleasure - ranging from adult toys, to produce."

Detectives with the BCPD Juvenile Unit arrested Smith on Wednesday after serving a search warrant at his home in the 600 block of Joannes Street. There, they collected "a variety of evidence, including items Smith had the victims use to perform sex acts on him," including items from a large vegetable garden taking up most of his small backyard.

Both 16 year old boys have confirmed Smith's confession. Both rode Smith's school bus and lived in his Old Bossier neighborhood. Investigators say one of the victims has indicated that the encounters started when he was 14. They say it appears the most recent encounter happened about a month ago.

Chief Halphen says he is also particularly concerned about kids in Smith's own neighborhood, where the incidents are believed to have taken place. Detectives have learned that it was common knowledge among the kids that if they needed a little extra cash, they could knock on Smith's door. "He was paying an average of $20 for this," explains Halphen, "and we found out that he was also paying adults to do this, mostly crack-heads looking for money."

Detectives believe Smith likely victimized other juveniles in the same manner. Chief Halphen is encouraging these victims to come forward and contact detectives. Parents of children who rode Smith's school bus are asked to talk with their children to see if they were also victimized by Smith.

"Parents, talk to your kids that have come in contact with this man. Adults, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. If it happened to you when you were younger come forward let us know."

This includes parents of children who live in Smith's neighborhood. If they believe their children were victimized by Smith they are urged to call detectives at 741-8773.

Danny Dison, head of security for Bossier Schools, says a background check on Smith when he was first hired in 1996 came back clean. Until now, Smith had never been arrested. While the Bossier Parish School board was set to fire Smith, Dison says he was eligible for retirement at the time of his arrest, and took that option on Friday morning.

Smith is being held at the Bossier Maximum Security Facility in Plain Dealing. His bond is set at $100,000.

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