Ex-school bus driver who allegedly threatened Greenland boy faces new charge

GREENLAND — Ex-school bus driver Michael Chick, currently detained on charges he stalked and threatened an 8-year-old Greenland child on his bus route, has been indicted on a cyberstalking charge, according to U.S. Attorney Jane Young.

The 39-year-old Eliot, Maine, resident formerly employed by the First Student, was indicted by a federal grand jury, Young announced Thursday.

Chick, who is being detained pending trial, had bus routes in Greenland and Rye, towns that are part of the SAU 50 school district. He was arrested on Aug. 5 on federal interstate stalking charges and was subsequently denied bail.

The former bus driver allegedly groomed a boy on his bus route by giving him gifts, though the child’s family became suspicious and reported him to police and the school district, according to court documents. Despite being told by police to cease contact with the child and his family, Chick continued interacting with him, giving him multiple TracFones and instructing him to take inappropriate photographs of himself, according to authorities.

What to know: What parents need to know about how predators groom kids

“Chick is also alleged to have placed GPS tracking devices on the parents’ vehicles and to have walked around the outside of the child’s home at night on numerous occasions,” Young’s announcement states.

The former bus driver is additionally accused of telling the child of an criminal group called “The Team” that would kidnap and torture him, and physically harm members of the child’s family, if he didn’t comply with Chick’s instructions.

Previous coverage: Greenland bus driver charged with stalking boy has bail hearing. What was said in court

Chick later admitted to investigators that he threatened the child on the bus and gave him three separate TracFones. Authorities searched his car and found his cell phone, a TracFone, a digital camera, duct tape, rubber gloves, candy, children’s undergarments and toys, and a magnetic GPS vehicle tracker.

Investigators later claimed that surveillance cameras, TracFones, large plastic bags of children’s underwear, threatening notes and more evidence were found at Chick’s residence, where he lived with his mother.

Chick's request for home incarceration was denied

In his bail hearing last month in Concord, Chick’s public defender, Behzad Mirhashem, argued for home incarceration for Chick. That request was denied by presiding U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrea Johnstone.

The family of the child at the center of Chick’s case submitted a statement at the ex-bus driver’s bail hearing, which was read aloud by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland of the prosecution.

“He is a predator of the worst kind,” the family wrote of Chick. “Protect us and protect the public by keeping him out of society.”

Parents look for answers: Greenland school parents demand answers following bus driver's arrest on stalking charges

Weiland stated in Chick’s bail hearing that the child reported having no inappropriate physical contact with Chick and denied sending any images or giving any clothing to the former bus driver.

The new cyberstalking charge alleged in the indictment is an allegation.

Chick’s case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Greenland Police Department.

Information sought by authorities on Michael Chick

A hotline was created in the wake of Chick’s arrest for parents to report possible additional incidents involving the bus driver. The hotline can be reached at (603) 722-1751.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Michael Chick, ex-school bus driver, faces new charge in Greenland NH