GRAFTON, Mass. — A 54-year-old school bus driver from Worcester, who drove young students in Grafton, was arrested following an investigation into alleged crimes against children.
Redi Gace was charged with two counts of kidnapping, reckless endangerment of a child, misleading a police investigation and tampering with evidence.
According to court documents, the Grafton Police Department was contacted Dec. 23, 2025, by a school bus company contracted to transport students for Grafton Public Schools.
The company reported receiving a complaint from a Grafton school after a parent said their child arrived home about 30 minutes later than the scheduled drop-off time on Dec. 22.
The complaint prompted a review of bus video and audio data from that day. The bus driver was identified, and the company discovered the interior camera was not operational and a front-facing exterior camera was covered. One exterior camera, however, was functioning and recording. GPS data identified the route and timeline and showed that only one child was on the bus at the time.
The child, identified as Victim 1, is a 5-year-old nonverbal boy.
Video and GPS data showed the driver deviated from the assigned route after leaving the school and made an unauthorized stop on Abby Road in Grafton, according to the report. The driver stopped the bus and turned off the engine, and a single child was heard crying from 3:14 p.m. to 3:25 p.m.
When the cameras resumed recording, video showed the bus traveling on Carroll Road en route to the child’s home. Weather conditions that day were believed to be cold, at or below freezing.
A separate bus video from Dec. 4 shows Gace accessing a compartment inside the bus, after which an interior camera deactivated, leading investigators to believe he intentionally disconnected it, police said.
The report also states the bus company identified another incident on Dec. 4 involving a 3-year-old girl, identified as Victim 2. Police said the child remained on the bus for a period of time after Gace allegedly deviated from his route and intentionally turned off the interior camera. The child was heard on video saying she wanted to go home and was dropped off six minutes late.
Police said Gace admitted lying to a parent about the delay, telling them another student had been picked up late to explain a delay of more than 30 minutes.
He also told police he stopped on Abby Road to return a phone call to his attorney in Albania, citing a six-hour time difference. Investigators said there was no record of the call on his cellphone, and he later admitted the call was never made. Police also said Gace falsely told investigators he had not been on Abby Road, except once two years earlier.
Gace was arraigned Tuesday in Westborough District Court, where bail was set at $50,000.
If Gace posts bail, he will be placed on house arrest with a GPS monitoring device.
He was taken into custody at his home on Reed Street in Worcester back on Tuesday night where neighbors said he’s lived for over a decade.
One neighbor told Boston 25 News he saw plainclothes officers kicking in the door before Gace was taken away in handcuffs.
He described the father of two college-aged kids as a “God-fearing, family man”.
Boston 25 News spoke briefly through the window with a woman whom neighbors identified as the suspect’s wife.
“You’re trying to ruin a family,” she said. “There is nothing you need to know.”
Police said he is no longer employed by AA Transportation.
Grafton police said they are working closely with Grafton Public Schools and AA Transportation to ensure student safety and acknowledged the arrest may cause concern among families.
In a statement, AA Transportation told Boston 25, “AA Transportation provides school bus transportation services to a number of school districts throughout Massachusetts, including the Town of Grafton. Regarding the formerly employed AAT school bus driver recently arrested by the Town of Grafton Police, the driver was hired through AAT’s regular process, which includes both state and federal background checks. The driver passed those checks. Further, the driver was certified by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles school bus division, which at the time of application for a school bus license certifies and then annually re-certifies the school bus driver. The Registry’s certification and re-certification process includes state and federal background checks. The police investigation leading to the arrest of the driver began when, in response to an inquiry to AAT by a Grafton school official concerning a parent complaint, AAT investigated the complaint, promptly shared the results of its investigation with the Grafton School Department and the Grafton Police and asked the police to investigate the matter further. AAT promptly put the driver on leave and subsequently terminated the driver. AA Transportation staff, including myself, have and will continue to fully cooperate with the authorities and provide all pertinent information that is available to us. The safety of the children we transport is our highest priority. We greatly appreciate and value the trust that school districts put in AAT and we are committed to earning that trust each and every day. Due to the open and ongoing criminal investigation, AAT is unable to provide any further details at this time.”
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Daniel Wenc at 508-839-2858.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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