FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — A Fayette County school bus driver pleaded guilty Thursday to sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who rode his school bus.
Rick Malay, Sr., 55, of Fayetteville, agreed to the plea bargain less than two weeks after a state Supreme Court ruling reinstated all of the charges against him.
The Court, in a May 29 opinion, vacated an earlier decision by Fayette County Circuit Judge John Hatcher to dismiss some of the charges because the crimes took place at the victim’s home when Malay was away from his job. The Supreme Court said it was up to a jury to decide whether Malay was in a position of trust at the time.
Malay pleaded guilty Thursday before Judge Hatcher to one count of sexual abuse by a person in the person of trust. He’ll face 10 to 25 years in prison at his September sentencing.