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CHRIS TISCHThe former Pinellas school bus driver admitted having sex with the student in his bus last year.
LARGO - A former Pinellas County school bus driver who had sex with a student in his bus has been sentenced to eight years of probation.
Charles G. Holman, 38, of New Port Richey was arrested in October on a charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, which is a felony. He pleaded guilty to that charge Tuesday.
Besides sentencing Holman to eight years of probation, Judge Tim Peters also ordered him to stay away from the victim.
Largo police arrested Holman in October after one of the girl's parents found a romantic e-mail from him on a home computer. The parent called police, who interviewed the girl and learned of the incident on the school bus.
Holman later admitted having sex with the girl, who was 16 at the time, saying "he believed the victim to be turning 18 years of age soon," an arrest affidavit said.
Police said Holman had a bus route that ran from Tarpon Springs to Pinellas Park. During his route, he picked up the girl in the Clearwater area. The pair struck up a relationship.
Holman and the girl agreed to meet on the last day of school, which was May 20.
Holman was in between routes when he drove to Pinellas Park High School and waited in the parking lot. The teen skipped class midmorning and met Holman on his bus, police said.
Holman drove the girl to the Crossroads Mall near Largo, where he parked. He and the girl had sex in the bus, police said. Holman then drove the girl back to school.
During his interview with police, Holman told detectives that he would resign from his position with the school district.