PD: Bus driver admits to sexual relationship with student

Las Cruces police have arrested a school bus driver accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student.

Police arrested 26-year-old Darien Pete on two counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor, a fourth degree felony

According to police, Pete was a bus driver for the Las Cruces Public School District.He drove the bus for the Arrowhead School summer program when he first met the student.

According to documents, the girl’s mother knew they communicated through Facebook. But it wasn’t until she found a hickey on her daughter’s neck and sexual messages, that she became suspicious.

The documents state that Pete admitted to police to having sex with the 15-year-old.Documents say the girl snuck out of her house and met him in his car and that’s where the sexual encounter happened. Police say both Pete and the girl claim it was consensual.

Las Cruces Public School’s Spokeswoman Jo Galvan tells ABC-7 the school district did not hire him. She says all bus drivers are hired through a separate company who perform the background checks. Shesays the allegations are disturbing and the safety of students are always their top priority.

“Certainly we have standards that we have for anyone that contracts with a school district particularly with a bus company that has adults who are taking care of children,” Galvan said. “So its more then just having a contract with another company, it’s about whether they’re going to do the training with their employees whether they’re going to assure they’re going to talk about what is an appropriate relationship between an adult and a student.”

A statement from the bus company, STS New Mexico states:This alleged incident comes to a shock to our company. The safety of the students from Las Cruces Public Schools is always our top priority. Mr. Pete is currently on suspension from STS.

Pete is being held with out bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.