Wellton school bus driver charged

The Antelope Union High School bus driver accused of having had ongoing sexual relations with a 15-year-old passenger has been charged with four felonies.
 
A felony complaint was filed Monday morning in Wellton Justice Court against 31-year-old Sixto Rocabado Jr., who was arrested last week by the Yuma County Sheriff's Office.
 
Rocabado was charged with sexual abuse of a minor, attempted sexual abuse of a minor, aggravated assault and kidnapping.
 
He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Cora Romine, who increased his bond amount to $257,665.
 
During his arraignment, which he attended via video feed from the Yuma County jail, Rocabado's attorney asked that he be released on his own recognizance.
 
However, the victim's mother, who attended the hearing, addressed the court, asking that the request be denied, which it later was.
 
His next court date is a preliminary hearing, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. March 10 in Wellton Justice Court.
 
Rocabado was arrested Wednesday after the parents of the victim contacted YCSO earlier that same day to report he had left inappropriate messages on their daughter's MySpace Web page.
 
MySpace is a popular social interactive Web site that networks friends and offers user-submitted personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos for teenagers and adults internationally.
 
Sheriff's office investigators following up on the parents' report learned that Rocabado was the female victim’s school bus driver and had allegedly had sexual contact with her over the last few weeks.
 
Following their investigation, they arrested Rocabado on suspicion of aggravated assault, custodial interference, kidnapping, sexual abuse and sexual assault.
 
Antelope Union High School District Superintendent Bob Klee, in a letter released on Friday to parents, students and faculty, said the district had followed state law requirements relative to Rocabado's hiring, including conducting fingerprinting and background checks.
 
Klee also wrote in the letter that the school district was notified by YCSO of Rocabado's arrest toward the end of the school day on Wednesday.
 
The school superintendent added that the district is asking that any inquiries regarding the matter be directed to his office.
 
Sheriff investigators said they have no information leading them to believe Rocabado has sexually abused any other students who rode his bus.

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James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.