The New Mexico Department of Justice has announced the arrest of Patrick Bilbo, a bus driver for Albuquerque Public Schools responsible for transporting students with special needs. The arrest followed an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC) of the NMDOJ. Bilbo faces charges including two counts of distributing and one count of possessing visual media depicting sexual exploitation of a child under 13 years old. Each charge carries a potential sentence ranging from zero to 11 years in prison.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez commented on the case, stating, "This case is especially disturbing because it involves someone who was entrusted with the care of some of our most vulnerable children." He added that offenders targeting or exploiting children in New Mexico would be pursued vigorously.
The investigation began after ICAC investigators received multiple CyberTips about possible possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material linked to accounts on the messaging platform Kik. This led to a search warrant being issued for Bilbo's residence in Albuquerque. He was arrested at his workplace at the APS bus depot on Albuquerque's westside.
The case is part of the NMDOJ’s ICAC Division efforts, which aim to locate and apprehend internet child sexual predators and pornographers within New Mexico. The division collaborates with 86 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and is funded through a grant managed by the NMDOJ.
Individuals with information regarding suspected child predators or abuse are urged to contact federal or local law enforcement authorities.
Information from this article can be found here.
