A Houston school bus driver is charged with statutory rape after allegedly having sex with one of the students he drove to school.
Brandon Baker, 25, was arrested Thursday and charged with having sexual intercourse with a girl less than 14 years old. Houston Superintendent Scott Dill said the district was made aware of the situation on Wednesday and is cooperating with authorities.
Baker, who is held with a $1 million bond in the Texas County Jail, joined the Houston School District in October 2012. He drove a daily route and was also part of a rotation to drive students on other school-related trips.
Court records indicate Baker began talking with the girl on the phone and eventually visited her home. Authorities say Baker twice took her to an abandoned trailer on his grandfather’s land in Texas County. During the second visit on May 13, Baker allegedly had sex with the girl.
Court documents indicate to keep their relationship a secret from the girl’s dad, Baker bought her a cell phone. While her dad didn’t know about the relationship, Baker would visit the girl with her mom’s consent.
In his probable cause statement, Sgt. Travis Davis of the Texas County Sheriff’s Department said he retrieved a used condom from the trailer where the alleged sexual encounter took place. The girl had told Davis where Baker placed the condom.
If convicted, Baker could face 10 years to life in prison.