Rogers bus driver accused of sexually assaulting student pleads not guilty
ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Rogers bus driver accused of sexually assaulting a student pleaded not guilty on Monday, according to Benton County Prosecutor Joshua Robinson.
Rafael Ballesteros-Trujillo, 59, was arrested on March 7 on two counts of second-degree sexual assault.
Rogers police received a report about a sexual assault on March 5, according to an affidavit. That night, a detective with RPD went to the Benton County Child Advocacy Center to observe a forensic interview.
A student said during the interview that Ballesteros-Trujillo, their bus driver, sexually assaulted them during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years and he would make them inappropriately touch him, according to the affidavit.
The student told the detective that Ballesteros-Trujillo would take them to a gas station and get “treats’ to bribe them.
Rogers bus driver accused of sexually assaulting student
The victim said the abuse happened several times and noted that it happened while they were on the bus, according to the document.
The student said to the detective that when the abuse took place they were alone with Ballesteros-Trujillo and did not know where the bus aides were at the time.
Police spoke with several bus aides who previously worked with Ballesteros-Trujillo. One who worked with him for around a month said he would stare at females for an extended amount of time, according to the document.
Ballesteros-Trujillo spoke with detectives on March 6 and confirmed that while he was driving the bus he had taken the victim to the bathroom at a gas station on at least one occasion and bought snacks for the child.
He denied touching the victim inappropriately and said he “may have inadvertently touched” them while buckling their seatbelt on the bus, the affidavit said.
Ballesteros-Trujillo has an omnibus hearing set for May 14.
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