School bus driver accused of grooming teenage boy over several years

Staff report

Updated on August 29 with bus route information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Wayne Levon Lawrence, 58, an Alachua County Public Schools bus driver, was arrested last night and charged with three counts of lewd/lascivious touching of a 16- or 17-year-old victim, along with other charges. The investigation alleges that Lawrence took the victim’s family into his home and groomed the victim over several years, progressing from touching his arms and legs to touching him inappropriately and having conversations about sexual activity.

The victim said that when he was 16 and alone with Lawrence, Lawrence told him to pull down his pants and then touched him. The second incident happened after the victim’s family became homeless and moved into Lawrence’s home, where the victim said Lawrence became more and more bold in his sexual advances, building up from light touches on his arms, legs, and chest area to more explicit sexual conversations and inappropriate touching. The victim said Lawrence would ask him about his virginity and offered to take his virginity on his 18th birthday; Lawrence allegedly exposed himself to the victim, talked about blowjobs and other sexual topics, and offered to let the victim sleep in his bed, although the victim said he declined. The victim said he did not report the incidents at the time because he was afraid of being kicked out of the house.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy met with the victim on August 26, and the victim agreed to make a controlled call to Lawrence with a deputy listening and his mother present. The victim originally called Lawrence from his mother’s phone, but Lawrence reportedly asked the victim to call back from his own phone “in order to be more discreet” and offered to pay for the victim’s phone.

A second controlled call was reportedly made on August 27, and after asking whether the victim was alone, Lawrence allegedly discussed blowjobs and sex and asked the victim to send a picture of his “privates.” During the call, Lawrence allegedly asked “numerous times” for the photo and instructed the victim to delete the photo after sending it.

Post Miranda, Lawrence reportedly admitted touching the boy’s chest, buttocks, and genitals but said it lasted less than a minute. He reportedly confirmed that he had talked to the victim about his virginity and that he had offered to take the victim’s virginity on his 18th birthday, but he said he would never do that because it was “morally wrong.” He reportedly admitted that he was asking for a picture of the victim’s genitals while on the phone call and said he wanted to “see it”; the deputy noted that Lawrence confirmed that “it” was the victim’s genitals.

Lawrence has been charged with three counts of lewd/lascivious touching of a 16- or 17-year-old victim, one count of attempting to entice a minor to send child pornography, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

According to records from Alachua County Public Schools, Lawrence has been a school bus driver since 2018 and was expected to work throughout this school year. He drove Route 1028, which serves Hidden Oak Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School.

Lawrence has no criminal convictions. Judge Denise Ferrero set bail at $170,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.