The owner of a school bus company pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the company’s use of unqualified drivers and unsafe buses to transport children.

Officials say that Ahmed Mahgoub, 65, along with his company F&A Transportation, pleaded guilty in Essex County on March 6 to charges of false representation for a government contract.

Officials say that in addition to being unqualified because of licensing requirements, several bus drivers had disqualifying criminal histories - and on at least one occasion - a driver drove a bus carrying children while intoxicated and crashed.

Mahgoub will be sentenced on June 28. The state is recommending he serve a five-year prison sentence.