GREENLAND, N.H. (WHDH) - A federal court charged a school bus driver with interstate stalking and allegedly threatening an 8-year-old New Hampshire child, according to United States Attorney Jane Young.
Police said 39-year-old Michael Chick was a school bus driver working for the Greenland Central School in Greenland, New Hampshire. According to the police, Chick allegedly threatened a child attending Greenland Central School and the child’s family traveling from Maine to New Hampshire to make the threats.
Police arrested Chick Friday night at his home in Eliot, Maine.
The 8-year-old’s parents filed a criminal complaint to Greenland Center, citing several problems with Chick. The complaint said that in April, their son and daughter’s bus driver, identified as Chick, had given them gifts like candy, Pokémon paraphernalia, and other small toys. When the kids were absent from school, the parents said Chick would leave notes for the children at their home that said how much he missed them.
The complaint stated that in May, Chick “stopped and asked if he could attend the boy’s Little League baseball game.” The boy’s parents then contacted the school getting Greenland Police and the school bus company involved.
The Student School Administration asked the bus company to assign Chick to a different route. The complaint said the next day, Greenland Police told Chick he could have no more contact with the boy or his family.
In July, documents alleged someone found two TracFones in the boy’s bedroom. The child admitted that Chick had given him the phones in May.
Upon searching Chick’s car, investigators said they found 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.” Investigators said they also executed a search warrant at Chick’s home.
In Chick’s bedroom investigators found:
- A TracFone
- Two TracFone boxes
- Several surveillance cameras and tracking devices
- Large Ziplock baggie of children’s underwear
- Handwritten notes/instructions
According to the police, the notes found in Chick’s room said things like, “You saved yourself. Would have taken you away on Friday.” Investigators also said there were detailed instructions on how to take body selfies from different angles and instructions on keeping a secret “in order for your family to not be killed.”
Chick appeared in federal district court Tuesday afternoon with a hearing scheduled for August 18.
The New Hampshire U.S. Attorney’s Office asks that anyone with information relevant to their investigation into Chick contact them at 603-722-1751.
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