Former school bus driver takes plea deal, avoids second jury trial involving students

A former Sherburne-Earlville school bus driver pleaded guilty to a felony charge recently. The driver was originally investigated in 2022 for offenses relating to touching students on the bus, but the investigation revealed a prior conviction relating to a sex abuse case from 1987 that was unknown to school officials. Parents sued the school following the arrest. (Photo by Shawn Magrath)

NORWICH - A former Sherburne-Earlville school bus driver pleaded guilty to a felony charge on the morning of his retrial December 9, resolving a high-profile case that has raised questions about school safety and hiring practices.
The driver was originally being investigated in 2022 for offenses relating to touching students on the bus, but an investigation revealed a prior conviction relating to a sex abuse case from 1987 unknown to school officials, prompting additional charges.
Douglas C. Webb, 64, admitted in Chenango County Court to first-degree offering a false instrument for filing with the intent to defraud, a Class E felony, which satisfied all charges against him. The charges involved misleading school officials on an application, where Webb allegedly did not disclose the previous conviction.
Webb was originally indicted for first degree offering a false instrument for filing with the intent to defraud, a class E felony, second degree falsifying business records, three counts of forcible touching, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, misdemeanors.
A previous jury trial in July ended in a mistrial. At the trial Webb took the stand in his own defense.
According to the prosecution, in his full-time application, Webb checked “no” to a question asking if he had ever been convicted of a crime, felony or misdemeanor. In a later question asking the applicant to explain further any crime, felony or misdemeanor committed, Webb did not write anything.
In court Webb confirmed there was a policy to the effect of not touching students in any way, and, if the student approached the bus driver for physical contact, to deter the student.
However, Webb testified he hugged students on the bus, and he may have accidentally put his hand above the victims’ knees. He said his intentions were innocent and not sexual. Webb told the court he felt a sense of friendship with the teenage victims.
His plea deal includes five years of felony probation with strict conditions prohibiting Webb from working in any capacity that involves children under the age of 18.
According to Chenango County First Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Rudy, Webb’s plea ensures that he can never again be employed around children. “My main concern from day one in this case is I didn’t want him to ever have contact with children the way he had contact with these students,” Rudy said. “So I wanted to make sure that he would never be employed again in that capacity, and this plea deal made that happen.”
Webb was originally indicted in early 2022 following allegations that he inappropriately touched three female students while working as a school bus driver. The accusations surfaced after a substitute bus monitor reported observing Webb touching students.
“The allegations are that he touched students on the school bus,” Rudy said. “What happened is a school bus monitor observes him inappropriately touching two students on the school bus, on their buttocks and upper thigh.”
The monitor’s report prompted the school to investigate, confirming with the students that Webb’s behavior had been ongoing for months and appeared to escalate over time.
“It started off with a hug and then would slowly progress to where he was touching them on their buttocks and upper thigh,” Rudy said. “And then a third student also came forward stating that he had been conducting himself in a similar manner with her as well.”
Rudy said the school district provided video evidence supporting the monitor’s account, which showed Webb’s hand touching at least one student’s buttocks.
While the allegations of forcible touching were misdemeanor charges, investigators reported discovering that Webb had failed to disclose a prior 1987 misdemeanor conviction for a sex offense on his applications to become a school bus driver, a felony.
“He applied to be a school bus driver twice,” Rudy said. “Once was because it was part time, the second one was going from part time to full time. On both of those applications he had stated that he had never been convicted of a crime. Which was false, he had been convicted of a prior misdemeanor sex offense.”
Webb’s first trial ended in a hung jury earlier this year. Rudy said the prosecution was fully prepared to retry the case, but the defense proposed a plea deal on the morning of the second trial.
“We were there ready for trial, ready to go,” Rudy said. “It wasn’t negotiated prior to then.”
Rudy consulted with the victims and their families to ensure they were informed in the decision.
“I’ve been very involved with them since the beginning,” Rudy said. “I knew from my various interactions with them, their main concern was also that he can’t be able to be employed by the school again, be around children.”
The plea deal resolved the case without requiring the victims to testify again.
“Partly [the plea deal was] to save the girls from testifying again,” Rudy said. “This was unfortunately the second time that we were taking this to trial. The first time there was a hung jury and the girls had already testified in trial… The other part is to make sure that he is actually convicted.”
Webb’s felony conviction is not classified as a sex crime, which means he will not be required to register as a sex offender. However, Rudy emphasized that the probation conditions effectively remove him from any professional capacity involving children.
“The message that I think it sends to the community is: we need to protect our children and this plea agreement makes sure that kids are protected,” Rudy said. “At the end of the day, that’s what we want. I want the community to be aware that this is something that occurred and that he pled guilty to [the] top count and he is going to be a convicted felon and that he can’t again be employed to be around children anymore.”
Families of the victims have also filed a civil lawsuit against the school district, raising questions about its hiring practices. While Rudy could not speak directly on behalf of the victims or the school practices, she said she hoped that the plea agreement would bring closure.
“I’ve been working with [the families] for quite some time, and I certainly hope that it does,” she said. “The girls did not have to go through [testifying] again, and he’s convicted and won’t be working with kids anymore.”
The mother of one of victims spoke to the Evening Sun but asked for her name to be withheld for the sake of her daughter. She wanted the community to know about what happened in court.
“I believe justice was served, the girls almost had to go through a second trial,” she said.
She said the family knew the defendant for many years. She said the case had a significant impact and changed the routine and outlook of those affected. The families had to find alternative transportation to school and time to attend court and meet with investigators.
She recalled the SE high school principal reaching out to the family in 2022 after the incident was reported. She said the school informed them that there was a bus aide on the bus who reported an incident involving the driver, and the principle and superintendent then reviewed the bus tapes. After watching it, school officials contacted parents to also review the video.
The victim’s mother said the video showed Webb putting his arm on the girl’s backside. She said it was disgusting and it immediately concerned her. The families contacted an attorney during the investigation, which eventually led to a lawsuit being filed against the school on behalf of the victims. She said each victim was awarded a degree of compensation.
Webb’s final appearance in court will be at an official sentencing scheduled for February 24.

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