St. Louis Bus Driver Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sex with 12-Year-Old Michigan Girl

ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Maria A. Lanahan on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis bus driver to 15 years in prison for engaging in sex acts with a 12-year-old Michigan girl. After meeting the victim via social media in 2023, Harold Paul White, now 56, drove to Michigan to pick her up and bring her back to St. Louis. White engaged in illegal sex acts with the minor at his apartment in St. Louis and recorded those acts with a phone. When the victim realized that she had been reported missing, White bought her a bus ticket home. “This is the second child predator we've sent to federal prison in as many days, underscoring the persistent threat these offenders pose to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Child exploitation is not an isolated problem; it is a daily reality that the FBI and our law enforcement partners confront across the country. Parents need to understand that a child's bedroom is no longer a barrier between them and those who would do them harm. Online platforms give predators constant access to potential victims, making vigilance, communication, and reporting more important than ever.” White pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The FBI and local police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.