HOLLIDAYSBURG — The Blair County school bus aide who molested multiple students while on duty was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to four to 20 years in a state correctional facility.

Brandon Michael Shultz, 29, was charged in two cases, in which he faced a total of seven felony counts each of institutional sexual assault and corruption of minors, six felony counts of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, a felony count of unlawful contact with a minor and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age. He has been incarcerated at the Blair County Prison since May 7, 2025, with bail in both cases set at $250,000.

Shultz appeared alongside defense attorney Phillip Robertson for a plea hearing in front of Judge David B. Consiglio.

Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mays laid out the terms of the plea agreement being accepted by Shultz, which called for him to plead guilty to the seven felony counts of institutional sexual assault in exchange for a state prison sentence of about 48 to 240 months.

Robertson agreed, saying that was his understanding of the plea deal.

Mays also asked for Shultz to undergo a mental health evaluation and cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as for it to be stipulated that Shultz

was to have no contact with the cases’ victims or unsupervised contact with any minor. Mays said that Shultz’s plea means he will be a Tier III sex offender under Megan’s Law, which requires lifetime registration.

While Mays waived having Shultz undergo a sexually violent predator evaluation prior to sentencing to ensure he would be sentenced that day, he said the evaluation will still happen. If Shultz is deemed to be a sexually violent predator, his defense will have the opportunity to contest the finding.

Before handing down Shultz’s sentence, Consiglio heard from the mothers of two victims.

One mother told Consiglio she “carries a weight every single day” knowing she could have prevented what happened to her daughter. She said the incident replayed in her mind and asked Consiglio to sentence Shultz to the fullest extent possible.

“My daughter will never get her innocence back,” she said.

The second mother said her daughter won’t leave her side and “doesn’t trust like she used to.”

“It destroyed my little girl,” she said.

The mother told Consiglio that not only does her family have to deal with the fallout of her daughter’s trauma, but also have to deal with people “constantly” questioning “what’s wrong” with her child.

She said people ask her why her daughter doesn’t open up or isn’t potty-trained yet.

“I just hope God has mercy on your soul,” the mother told Shultz. “And I hope you find someone else to forgive you, because right now I can’t.”

Robertson and Shultz offered no comments to the court, although Shultz had family members supporting him in the gallery.

In addition to sentencing Shultz to four to 20 years in a state correctional institution followed by three years’ probation, Consiglio ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation, pay $7,000 in fines, have no contact with the victims or unsupervised contact with any minor. All other charges against Shultz were withdrawn and dismissed.

“God bless you all,” Consiglio told the victim’s families gathered in the courtroom. “I will hope and pray for the recovery of these children.”

Shultz was taken into custody on May 7 after an investigation into reports of him touching students inappropriately.

Employed by the Blair County Head Start program as a bus aide for nine years, Shultz would help students get on and off the bus so as to not distract the driver.

A victim told officers that Shultz asked her to sit on his lap. When she did so, the victim said Shultz rubbed her legs and over her underwear. In an interview with police, Shultz ultimately admitted to touching the victim inappropriately after placing her on his lap, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Once Shultz’s arrest became public, several other families and parents came forward to report similar situations involving their children and Shultz, leading to the second case being filed, the police report states.

Between May 21 and June 4, children were interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center. One child said Shultz would give other children candy and earrings to take home. Additional interviews revealed Shultz “pinched” one girl “in the boobies two times” and would hold a girl on his lap before sliding his hands on her body, rubbing her chest, waist and butt, the report states.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.