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FAYETTE — A bus driver and former pastor in Fayette is facing felony charges for allegedly forcing two 14-year-olds to have sex on a school bus he was driving while he watched.

Elvis Colenberg reportedly turned himself in at Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday after being issued a warrant for one count of sexually exploiting children.

Colenberg, who is represented by attorney Dennis Sweet, received a $200,000 bond.

Jefferson County Sheriff James Bailey told reporters, “He was a minister. It’s just tough to believe that this actually was taking place and he was engaging in it. … We law enforcement have to do what is right because we’re here to serve and protect all when someone commits a crime. It’s our duty to hold the individual, he or she, accountable for the crime.”

Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officers are assisting JCSO in the investigation of this matter.

An investigation was initially launched back in February when a female student came forward and reported the alleged activities to law enforcement, saying it happened roughly 20 times.

Bailey told reporters the young lady was “devastated about it” and traumatized and that they were going to seek counseling for her.

The male student was not a normal bus rider but allegedly Colenberg would pick him up from another location after all the other students were dropped off at their homes so that it was just him and the two students alone on the bus.

Then he would force the two teens to have intercourse while he sat in the back and watched them. This allegedly occurred in the afternoon when he was supposed to be dropping the students off at their homes. Colenberg allegedly offered to pay the students to engage in sexual activity with each other.

Jefferson County School District issued a statement to reporters in light of the allegations surrounding Colenberg, who is no longer a bus driver.

“We have been advised by our legal counsel that because this is a personnel matter, we are not at liberty to discuss any specific allegations. The Jefferson County School District is working with law enforcement regarding this matter,” the district said.

Further investigation of how long these alleged actions were taking place is underway.