Bus driver charged with interstate stalking of 8-year-old after allegedly threatening to kidnap, torture child
Michael Chick, 39, allegedly gave a male student cellphones with instructions to take inappropriate photos of himself
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A school bus driver faces federal charges alleging he threatened and stalked an 8-year-old boy in New Hampshire.
Michael Chick, 39, of Eliot, Maine, worked as a bus driver for First Student and drove routes in both Greenland and Rye, New Hampshire, the Portsmouth Herald reported.
According to court documents, Chick gave a student at Greenland Central School cellphones with instructions to take inappropriate photos of himself, placed tracing devices on his parents’ vehicles and made multiple nighttime visits to their home. The boy told investigators Chick used a story about a group of criminals he called "The Team," who would kill his family, kidnap him and torture him if he did not comply with their demands.
The boy’s parents reported what they considered Chick’s obsession with their son in April and again in May. Chick was reassigned to different bus routes, but he continued to contact the boy, according to the court documents. The family reported him to police again in July after finding two cellphones in a lunchbox in the boy’s room.
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"During a search of Chick’s car, investigators said they located a TracFone, a digital camera, duct tape, rubber gloves, sweet (candy) liquor, candy, children’s clothing (including underwear), children’s toys, a magnetic GPS vehicle tracker along with his cell phone. Similar items were found in his room where he lived. At Chick’s residence, surveillance cameras, TracFones, large plastic bags of children’s underwear, and other evidence was found, authorities allege," the Portsmouth Herald reported.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}School bus (iStock)
Chick was arrested Friday evening. He had an initial appearance hearing in federal district court Monday afternoon. The court ordered him detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Aug. 18, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Hampshire.
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Fox News reached out to school district Superintendent Steve Zadravec for comment but did not hear back by the time this story was published. He did, however, call the allegations "deeply concerning," according to The Associated Press.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This matter was investigated by the Greenland Police Department, the Eliot, Maine, Police Department, the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kasey Weiland.
Chick's attorney, public defender Behzad Mirhashem, did not immediately respond to a request Wednesday from The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.