Prosecutor: FL Bus Driver Seeking Sex With Teen Charged in Burlington County, NJ
A 59-year-old bus driver from Florida has been charged with attempting to arrange a sexual encounter with an underage girl in a Burlington County hotel.
Prosecutors say Gregory P. Tibbetts of Ocoee was under the impression that he was texting with a 14-year-old girl, but in reality, he was communicating with detectives.
He has been charged with second-degree luring, second-degree attempted sexual assault, third-degree impairing/debauching the morals of a minor, and fourth-degree attempted criminal sexual contact).
The investigation began on June 5 after Tibbets, who was traveling through the area as part of his employment responsibilities, notified a hotel employee that he desired to connect with an underage male or female to engage in sexual conduct.
Police provided the employee with a cell phone number to pass along to Tibbets. During the ensuing text exchange with detectives, Tibbets, who believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl, described in graphic detail the sexual acts he hoped to engage in with the minor.
Tibbetts was taken into custody Wednesday at a hotel in Westampton and lodged in the Burlington County Jail pending a detention hearing in Superior Court.
The case will be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.
The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.