Bus driver sentenced for having child porn.

Byline: Bill Bishop and Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

A Lane Transit District bus driver was sentenced Wednesday to four years and three months in federal prison for possessing child pornography that he traded on the Internet, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.

Christopher Lyn Sparks, 41, of Eugene pleaded guilty in May when an FBI investigation tracing Internet transactions identified him as a suspect. A search warrant was served for his home computer. Sparks admitted possessing more than 600 images of children under age 12, according to the news release.

LTD fired Sparks this week when it learned of the conviction from a media inquiry, district spokesman Andy Vobora said. The agency had not been notified of Sparks' guilty plea or sentence, Vobora said. District officials hope to arrange with federal officials to be notified of any similar indictments in the future involving drivers, he said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Hoar said federal pretrial services workers routinely notify a judge when a defendant is arraigned on charges that present a potential ongoing danger, or that may require employer notification. If LTD had been notified of Sparks' indictment, he would have been reassigned to a job with no interaction with the public until the case was resolved, Vobora said.

Sparks had been in line to receive an award for excellence given to fewer than 10 of LTD's more than 200 drivers each year. The award has since been revoked. Sparks was hired by LTD in May 2005, Vobora said.

In a separate case, LTD learned Wednesday that another driver has been charged in state court with two counts of first-degree sexual abuse that are not connected with his work as a driver, Vobora said. The employee will be reassigned pending the outcome of the case, he said.