Haines City, FL – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 23-year-old Chase Crabb from Kissimmee, Osceola County, on charges related to sexual offenses against a student at Haines City High School (HCHS).
The investigation began after a 16-year-old female student disclosed to her mother that she had been receiving sexually explicit messages and images from her former substitute teacher, known to her as “Mr. Chase,” over a period spanning from December 2023 to December 2024. The communication began when the victim was 15 years old, initially through email, and then evolved to include text messages, and interactions on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Discord.
According to reports, Crabb’s messages took a sexually suggestive turn after learning of the student’s breakup with her boyfriend. He allegedly sent multiple messages of a sexual nature, including images of himself, solicited nude photographs from the student, and attempted to persuade her into sexual intercourse.
The case was brought to light when the victim reported the incident to her mother, leading to an immediate report to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). An investigation was launched by both DCF and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office on January 15, 2025.
Excerpts from the text messages include Crabb’s own acknowledgment of the inappropriateness of his actions:
- October 2, 2024: “Uhhhhh, I mean is it wrong for me to be sexually attracted to a minor? WHO SAID THAT”
- October 22, 2024: “Nah cause they won’t be interesting [adult females] It’s more fun to groom heh”
- October 23, 2024: “The only time I’d cut your off is if I genuinely felt like if I continued the police would come after me.”
Sheriff Grady Judd condemned the actions, stating, “Sexual exploitation of any child by anyone, in every circumstance is horrific and unacceptable, especially when it’s a substitute teacher. They are trusted to guide and protect our kids, not take advantage of them. When someone in that role crosses the line, it’s a serious betrayal of trust. We’re committed to making sure anyone who harms a child is held accountable and faces the consequences for their actions.”
Similarly, Fred Heid, Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools, expressed his outrage, “It’s unacceptable and disgusting for any educator to use their position to have inappropriate contact with a student. People who behave this way will be caught, and we fully support the efforts of law enforcement to help protect our students.”
