School bus driver, Santa Claus convicted of sex act with students on board

Summary by The Atlanta Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Alex Jones, WSB-TV (ABC) - News · July 23, 2026 · 2 min read

A former Gwinnett County school bus driver has been convicted of performing a sex act on himself while students with special needs were on board . Steven Edward Wilkins, 67, was found guilty of six counts of child molestation and four counts of public indecency. He was sentenced to 20 years with ...

Why this matters in The Atlanta

The conviction of Steven Edward Wilkins, a former Gwinnett County school bus driver, raises concerns about the vetting process for individuals working with vulnerable populations, including students with special needs. Wilkins' ability to work as a bus driver and also as Santa Claus at a local church during the holidays, puts into question the thoroughness of background checks and screening procedures in place. The fact that Wilkins was able to commit these crimes on multiple occasions, during dismissal at Suwanee Elementary School, highlights the need for increased vigilance and monitoring of school staff and contractors. As Wilkins begins his prison sentence, the community will be watching to see what measures are taken by Gwinnett County schools to prevent similar incidents in the future and ensure the safety of all students. The requirement for Wilkins to register as a sex offender will also be closely monitored.

About this story

Original reporting by WSB-TV (ABC) - News. The Atlanta surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit WSB-TV (ABC) - News. Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: government · Published: July 23, 2026 · Source: WSB-TV (ABC) - News · Reading time: 2 min

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This article was first published on July 23, 2026 by WSB-TV (ABC) - News and curated for The Atlanta readers.

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Summary created by	The Atlanta Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Alex Jones, WSB-TV (ABC) - News
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 23, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 23, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

School bus driver, Santa Claus convicted of sex act with students on board

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