School taxi driver charged with failing to disclose sex conviction

A Skokie man who has worked as a taxi driver transporting children to and from school has been charged with failing to disclose a past sexual assault conviction on his driver application, according to Cook County prosecutors.

Jean Juste, 57, also faces charges of being in a school zone as a convicted child sex offender after authorities say he was observed, in his capacity as a taxi driver, earlier this year on the grounds of a school in the Northwest suburbs.

A Cook County judge on Thursday set bail at $300,000 for Juste, who was convicted in 1993 of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old.

Prosecutors say that since 1998 Juste has worked for the 303 Cab Company whose services include transporting students, including special needs children, to schools in Cook, Lake and DuPage counties. To transport children, drivers must complete a school bus permit application and receive approval from the Illinois Secretary of State, prosecutors said.

On June 14, 2010, Juste reportedly signed his name to an application affirming that he had never been convicted of any offense that would disqualify him from driving a school bus or other transport vehicle, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, the secretary of state’s office issued him a permit two days later and he proceeded to transport children to school.

The Daily Herald was unable to reach a cab company representative about the charges.

Juste next appears in court on June 25.