A teacher and her boyfriend were taken into custody after they sex trafficked a student.
According to a statement issued by the Holdrege Police Department, Elizabeth Jamie Love and a white male identified as her boyfriend, Jarid “Jack” Krause, have been arrested after they sex trafficked a student.
The arrests follow an investigation by the Holdrege Police Department, with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, after a high school student reported inappropriate interactions with the couple. Love, employed as a transition coordinator and teacher of the deaf in Education Service Unit-11, which works with public schools in southern Nebraska.
An affidavit obtained by PEOPLE states that the investigation was launched when law enforcement received a report of sexual abuse of a 16-year-old student. During an interview with police, the student in question said she had “developed a close relationship” with Love since first meeting her during the seventh grade. Authorities said their conversations “evolved into talking about things going on in (her) life beyond the normal scope of a speech therapist/educator,” however, according to the publication.
The student told police that she had reached out to Love about potentially moving in with her during the weekdays so that she could attend classes in another district, according to reports. The student said that during one incident in August, she was riding in Love’s car while she was having a conversation with Krause over the phone, and stated that during the call Krause expressed a desire to have sex with her, with Love accused of later telling the student that she “would be willing to share” him.
According to reports, Love and the student had plans to visit the State Fair that day, but the student told police that the conversation made her so “uncomfortable” that she had her aunt pick her up. In a separate occasion, Love picked the student up and brought her to her home. During that visit, Krause took the student upstairs to a bedroom and made a veiled request for sex. The student told authorities that she refused and asked to leave, per the report.
According to reports, authorities said security camera video shows the student walking home, with Love following alongside her in a car. The student eventually gets into the car and it drives off. During the investigation, law enforcement obtained text messages between Love and the victim that reportedly show Love asking for the student to “come back and talk to me.”
Further text messages obtained by police reportedly show that Love apologized, then asked the student not to tell anyone what had happened. Love also paid the student $100 in $20 increments. During an interview with police, Love said that the payments weren’t “hush money,” but were meant to help the student purchase a new cell phone.
According to reports, other text messages obtained during the investigation show that Love and Krause had talked about the student as early as April. Alleged plans to proposition the student for sex were made in August to see “if she’s not feeling it.” Other conversations included in the affidavit show Love telling Krause that she hoped their proposition “works out,” adding that “if she doesn’t want to, then I’ll keep looking.”
In another conversation, Krause mentions “(finding) our person” when speaking to Love, adding “We’ll find the girl that appreciates us for what we are and provide. Someone who sees the value of our family and one that loves us both more than anything.” The documents obtained by reporters state that Love then asks Krause if they should “start the paperwork for foster care,” to which he replies, “Do you think it’s time for that? It’s a huge risk. We might not find the right girl for us.”
Love then replies, “I know. But I also don’t have to take them all. Even though I want to. Haha,” per reports.
Both pedophiles were arrested and taken to the Phelps County Jail. They are charged with the following, according to authorities:
- Sex trafficking of a minor
Love is also charged with sexual grooming by a school employee (felony).
The suspects were each handed a $250,000 bond, and are scheduled to appear in court on Monday, October 27.
Authorities continue to seek additional information from anyone who may have had suspicious interactions with Love or Krause.
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