A former Pender County bus driver was convicted in the sexual assault of a student.
Austin Kelly, 32, of Burgaw, was arrested on May 15, 2024, and charged with two counts of sexual abuse, StarNews previously reported. Two Pender County students were identified as victims of the sexual assaults.
According to a previous press release from Pender County Schools, Kelly was previously employed as a school bus driver for Heide Trask High School. At the time of his arrest, Kelly was not employed by Pender County Schools.
Previous reporting: Pender County Sheriff’s Office: School bus driver charged with sexual assault
Previous reporting: Further allegations in the case of the former Pender bus driver for sexual assault
One of Kelly’s cases was dismissed, while the other went to trial Tuesday, the New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney’s Office said. Kelly was found guilty by Judge Jeffrey Noecker on one count of sexual abuse.
Kelly was sentenced to “10 days in jail (two to be served now, eight to be served at a later date), 18 months probation and a 10-year sex offender registration,” Samantha Dooies, assistant district attorney Ben David, said in an email to StarNews. “He is not allowed to have any contact with children unless they are blood related.”
The appeal period has not yet expired, meaning the conviction can be appealed to the Supreme Court, Dooies said.
