Former Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Having Sex With Disabled Clarion County Student

Scott Shindledecker

Scott Shindledecker

Published October 31, 2016 4:31 am
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ROCKLAND TWP., Pa. (EYT) — An Emlenton man accused of sexually assaulting a mentally disabled student while transporting her from Clarion Area High School to Venango Training and Development Center in Rockland Township, Venango County, has pleaded guilty.

Robert William Beck, 58, of Emlenton, recently pleaded guilty to School — Intercourse/Sexual Contact with a Student, a third-degree felony.

Other charges were dropped as part of the plea bargain.

According to a criminal complaint, on April 25, 2016, Trooper Rodney Hotchkiss, of PSP Clarion, was contacted by the Clarion Area High School principal regarding a report by a student’s mother of inappropriate contact with a special needs student and a bus driver.

Trooper Hotchkiss met with the victim’s mother who stated that her daughter is a student in the Life Skills program and is confined to a wheelchair.

The mother indicated that her daughter was picked up from Clarion Area High School on Tuesdays and transported to the Venango Training and Development Center in a special van driven by Beck, according to the complaint.

The complaint states that the victim’s mother discovered “a couple of tweets on the victim’s Twitter account with one stating ‘My boyfriend showed me his penis.’”

The complaint states that the victim’s Facebook account was examined, and two messages were present that were sent from a man named (Bobby) Robert Beck, dated April 15, 2016, and April 25, 2016, the complaint indicates.

The first message stated, “Hi my love, I really miss you and cannot wait to see you,” the second message stated, “Hi I really miss you. I want to make love to you every minute of every day. Love you.” When confronted about these messages, the victim stated that Bobby is her bus driver, the complaint states.

The victim admitted to her mother “that Bobby (touched her) and that she asked him to stop to get a pregnancy test, and Bobby told her, ‘Oh no honey, that’s just a little taste, we haven’t done it yet,’” according to the complaint.

On April 26, 2016, Trooper Hotchkiss interviewed Beck at the State Police barracks. Beck denied any relationship with the victim and said, “‘She is a student, and I am married. It’s not right,’” the complaint states.

He stated that she has been calling him, but isn’t sure how she got his phone number other than he may have mentioned it one time during the ride. When asked about the messages he sent to the victim on Facebook, Beck became quiet then stated, “She wanted me to do it, and I didn’t want to. She kept begging me,” the complaint stated.

According to the complaint, Beck allegedly admitted that he exposed his penis to the victim. He explained that the incident occurred on Phillippi Road in Venango County, while he was taking her to Venango Training and Development, according to the complaint.

Beck allegedly provided a written statement to Trooper Hotchkiss, the complaint continues.

A sentencing date has yet to be set; however, Beck remains in Venango County Jail.

Editor’s note: Beck was not employed by either school; he was employed by an outside contractor.

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