Sex Offender Caught Driving Special Needs Van

STOUGHTON, Mass. -- A convicted sex offender arrested in Stoughton driving a van for special needs students will be in court Thursday on charges he violated his probation and failed to register as a sex offender.

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Gail Huff Reports On Case

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that state police had been searching for Michael Burris, 49, for the past six months, arresting him at the South Shore Educational Collaborative in Hingham, Mass. He was transporting students for Kiessling Transit of Braintree, Mass., a company that subcontracts for the MBTA.

"These weren't children on the bus, they were young adults, but they're challenged persons and it's kind of upsetting that somebody wanted for a warrant out of California on that charge was driving them, " said Rick Hunter of the Massachusetts State Police.

Burris, who sometimes uses the last name Roots, was convicted in California in 1999 of having sex with a minor, and reportedly faced felony charges for burglary, illegal gun and drug possession. He served a year in prison, then violated a 5-year probation and fled to Massachusetts where he took the van driving job.

He allegedly skipped out on his probation and failed to register as a sex offender in Massachusetts. He was hired to drive the students in Massachusetts, state police said, because background checks performed on applicants for the job do not extend beyond the commonwealth to other states.

"The CORI check in Massachusetts only covers the commonwealth of Massachusetts crimes, it does not cover the rest of the country," Hunter said.

MBTA spokeswoman Lydia Rivera said Burris' hiring was "unfortunate," and said it was an "isolated incident" that will be thoroughly investigated.