A Nebraska teacher and her boyfriend were charged with sex trafficking this week after one of her female high school students reported “inappropriate interactions” with the pair, the Holdrege Police Department announced Thursday.
Elizabeth Jamie Love, 36, and her boyfriend, Jarid “Jack” Krause, both of Holdrege, have been charged with felony sex trafficking of a minor.
Love, who is listed as a transition coordinator and teacher of the deaf on the Education Service Unit 11’s website, also faces an additional felony charge of sexual grooming by a school employee.
Police say they received a report on October 14 of possible sexual abuse involving a juvenile girl. They did not identify the student’s school in a news release, but said Love had worked for years with ESU-11, serving more than a dozen schools across south-central Nebraska.
According to an affidavit obtained by Nebraska TV, the current high school student, taught by Love through her role with ESU-11, claimed she overheard an August phone call where Krause allegedly told Love he wanted to have sex with the girl.
Love allegedly picked the girl up on October 11 and brought her to her home. There, Krause reportedly led her to an upstairs bedroom and made a request she thought was for sex.
The girl said she declined Krause’s request and asked to leave, which he allowed her to do, according to the affidavit.
Authorities reportedly said they reviewed security footage showing Love following the girl in a black Dodge Durango. The girl later got in the vehicle, and Love drove her home.
The girl told police that Love apologized, warned her not to tell anyone, and gave her $100, which Love later claimed was a gift for a new phone, not hush money.
The Independent has contacted ESU-11 outside of traditional school hours for comment.
Authorities are not aware of any other cases involving the couple and current or former students. Still, anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call the Holdrege Police Department at 308-995-4407.
Love and Krause are being held in the Phelps County Jail on $250,000 cash bonds.
If convicted, they could face life in prison and mandatory lifetime registration as sex offenders.
Their first court appearance is scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m. in Phelps County Court.
