Former school bus driver to be sentenced for lewd acts, child porn

A former Morongo Unified School District school bus driver pleaded guilty to two counts of lewd acts with a child and possession of child pornography in Joshua Tree Superior Court on Friday.

Just before the preliminary hearing on Friday, 57-year-old Alex Gomez accepted a plea bargain.

The school bus driver from Twentynine Palms was arrested on January 22 for child molestation and child pornography after investigators found evidence in his home.

Gomez was taken into custody after detectives with the Morongo Basin Sheriff’s Station served a search warrant in the 4600 block of Mesquite Springs.

The investigation began in late December after someone reported the allegations. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and filed charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 years old.

Gomez was accused of victimizing two girls; a four-year-old and an eight-year-old.

According to the sheriff’s release, Gomez was employed as a school bus driver for a private contract company, not the Morongo Unified School District. Detectives believed the crimes occurred while Gomez worked as a bus driver and they were concerned there may be additional victims.

Gomez will be sentenced on July 10.