A racy photo of the teacher, 45, found naked in the back of the car with a male student, 17, as she appears in court with bail set at $25,000 after cheating on her Defense Department boss
The Nebraska teacher accused of sexually abusing a teenage student has been pictured looking disheveled in a new mugshot ahead of her first court appearance, where bail was set at $25,000.
Erin Ward, 45, was visibly dazed and disheveled in a mugshot released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office three days after her arrest.
She appeared in Douglas County Court on Tuesday, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, to face one count of aggravated sexual abuse by a school employee.
Madam, you are charged with a Class IIA felony. It is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, up to a $10,000 fine, or both. Do you understand the possible consequences here?’ asked a judge in a clip posted by KETV.
Ward said ‘yes’ before the judge announced she might have to join the state’s sex offender registry if convicted.
Erin Ward, 45, appeared dazed and disheveled in a mugshot released by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office ahead of her first court appearance
Ward appeared in Douglas County Court on Tuesday on a felony charge of sexually abusing a school employee, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years behind bars
The judge told the 45-year-old she may have to join the state’s sex offender registry if convicted
Ward appeared with his attorney, Jerry Hug, at the brief hearing. She will be back in court in May.
The married mother-of-three admitted having sex with a 17-year-old student after the pair were caught in the back seat of a car belonging to Ward and her husband – who is a higher-up in the Ministry of Defence.
Prior to her arrest, Ward worked as a substitute teacher at several urban area schools. It was at Omaha Burke High School that she met the teenage boy she was found with in the early morning hours of April 13.
Around 3:00 a.m., Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies were called to investigate a suspicious car parked in a cul-de-sac.
There, they found Ward and the victim inside a Honda Pilot ‘determined to be owned by Ward and her spouse,’ DSCO wrote in a news release.
The 17-year-old jumped into the driver’s seat and sped off in the SUV, crashing into a yard two blocks away. He then ran off wearing only a t-shirt, boxers and socks, and was found about an hour later.
Authorities recovered an Omaha Public Schools employee ID from inside the car. Ward confirmed that she was a substitute teacher at Harry A. Burke High School, where the teenager was enrolled, and admitted to having sex with him.
Both she and the victim were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries as a result of the accident.
A police statement detailing the incident has been sealed by the court, according to local reports.
Prosecutors also said they do not believe the car incident was the first time Ward and the teenager had sex.
Since the sexual age in Nebraska is 16, the teacher was not charged with statutory rape, but faces a Class IIA felony that carries up to 20 years behind bars.
Ward, who lives with his family in Gretna, has an adopted daughter who is about the same age as his victim.
The married mother of three admitted having sex with a 17-year-old high school student after police found them together early Saturday morning
Ward’s 10th-grade daughter (front left) is about the same age as the boy the substitute admitted to sexually abusing
Ward was arrested after Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies found her naked inside the car with the student, who crashed into a yard and fled on foot
Ward (center) worked at several schools in the Omaha area, including Harry A. Burke High School, where her victim was enrolled
She and the teenager were found in a Honda Pilot she owned with her husband, 53-year-old Doug Ward, an employee of the US Department of Defense
Doug graduated from Harvard Extension School in 2021 with a master’s degree in political science and government and has worked with the federal government for nearly two decades
Police recovered an Omaha Public Schools ID from the car where Ward and the boy were found, and she admitted to the crime
Her husband, 53-year-old William Douglas ‘Doug’ Ward, is a Harvard-educated deputy in the Department of Defense.
Doug was named Deputy Director of the Commander’s Action Group and Senior Nuclear Deterrence Advisor at the United States Strategic Command in February.
His LinkedIn shows he has worked with the strategic command since 2005, initially serving as a deputy division chief.
The Strategic Command, headquartered in Omaha, is a military unit that detects and deters attacks against the country and its allies.
In addition to his impressive job title, Doug graduated from Harvard Extension School in 2021 with a master’s degree in political science and government.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced it is working closely with Omaha Public Schools amid the ongoing investigation.
Burke’s principal, Darren Rasmussen, released a statement to community members following the news of Ward’s arrest.
“We are writing to advise that law enforcement has arrested a temporary worker in the metro area for inappropriate behavior with a minor,” he wrote.
‘The individual worked at Burke High several days during the 2023-24 school year. They will not return to our school or others in our district.
‘Our top priority is always the safety and well-being of the students we serve. We take that very seriously. Counselors will be available on Tuesday for students in need of support.’