Former School Bus Driver from Oswego Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Frederick J. Haresign, age 61, of Oswego, New York, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, announced Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon, and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.

The criminal complaint alleges that in or about 2017 Haresign, a school bus driver, provided a minor child who rode on Haresign’s bus with nicotine, cash, and other gifts in exchange for the child taking sexually explicit self-images and videos and providing those to Haresign. The company that employed Haresign removed him from active service as a driver upon receiving notice of the investigation and has now terminated his employment.

The charge against Haresign carries a minimum sentence of 15 and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, and registration as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a Judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

Haresign appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric for an initial appearance today and was detained pending further proceedings. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty

Individuals who believe they have information relevant to this investigation should contact the New York State Police at 315-366-6000 (Inv. Lazarek).

Haresign’s case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and by the New York State Police: Fulton Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Troop D  Computer Crimes Unit. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian in coordination with Oswego County District Attorney Gregory Oakes as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.