AG: Tip led to find that Boise school bus driver had ‘egregious’ child porn file
The investigation into a former Boise school bus driver facing several sexual exploitation charges started with a Google CyberTip about child pornography files, including one that was listed under “egregiousness categorization.”
The affidavit of probable cause in the case against Brian Hendricks showed that it was one of four files a user uploaded on April 25. Idaho Attorney General’s Office investigator Lauren Lane determined that an account connected to Hendricks was responsible for the upload, which took place at about noon, according to the affidavit.
The same account was logged into at 3:35 p.m. on Boise School District WiFi that same day, the affidavit stated.
Hendricks has been charged with seven counts of felony possessing child sexual exploitation material. He and his wife, Rochelle, also face four felony injury to a child charges, and misdemeanor counts for cruelty to an animal.
Brian Hendricks’ bond was set at $500,000, and he is still in the Ada County Jail after his arrest on Aug. 7. His wife posted $10,000 bond and was released.
The Idaho Attorney General’s Office’s Crimes Against Children unit launched its investigation of Hendricks in late July, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting. After tracking down the alleged user, AG investigators and the Boise Police Department searched the Hendricks home in early August, finding children and an animal living in “imminent danger,” according to a Aug. 8 news release.
When authorities apprehended him, Hendricks told authorities that he had pictures on his phone and wanted to move them to his tablet in Google Drive, Lane said in the affidavit. He then said, “I guess there was something in there,” according to court documents.
Lane said that Hendricks admitted that he “probably had 100-200 child pornography files on his phone off and on.”
Court documents regarding the injury to child charges and animal cruelty did not provide information beyond the original criminal complaint, which stated that Boise police found four children, all younger than 18, living in the home.
Brian Hendricks was working as a bus driver with Durham School Services, which is the Boise School District’s contracted transportation service. Durham fired Hendricks after learning about his arrest, the company told the Statesman. The bus service also stated that he passed the company’s background check when hired.
The Boise School District said in a news release that it received no reports regarding Hendricks during his employment.
Investigators don’t believe there were any local victims, according to the Aug. 8 news release.
Among past charges Brian Hendricks faced were an injury to child count and a public nuisance count, both in 2020. He was found not guilty of the prior and guilty of the latter.
Both Brian and Rochelle Hendricks have preliminary hearings scheduled for Thursday.
