Background: Haines City High School (Google Maps). Inset: Chase Crabb (Polk County Sheriff’s Office).
A former substitute teacher from Florida was arrested after he allegedly carried on an inappropriate relationship with a teenage student.
Chase Crabb, 23, had a criminal complaint filed against him in Polk County on Jan. 21, leading to an investigation into his interactions with a 16-year-old student. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Crabb had initially met the girl in December 2023 while working as a substitute teacher at Haines City High School. Their communication began with email exchanges, progressing to social media and text messages once the girl, then 15 years old, mentioned breaking up with her boyfriend. At that point, the nature of their communication took a disturbing turn, according to the statement shared with WFLA, a local NBC affiliate.
As reported by the sheriff’s office to the press, Crabb and the girl utilized platforms like TikTok, Discord, Instagram, and texting for their interactions. Between December 2023 and December 2024, Crabb allegedly sent sexually explicit messages to the girl, including sending photos of his genitalia. Furthermore, he purportedly solicited nude images from the girl and tried to coerce her into having sexual relations with him.
The messages sent by Crabb to the girl suggested his awareness of the inappropriate nature of his actions. For instance, he mentioned in one text, “Uhhhhh, I mean is it wrong for me to be sexually attracted to a minor? WHO SAID THAT.” He also allegedly expressed a preference for underage girls, commenting, “Nah cause they won’t be interesting [adult females] It’s more fun to groom heh.”
According to reporting by local news outlet Four Corners Sun, the girl told her mother this month about the sexually explicit messages she was receiving from Crabb, whom she called “Mr. Chase.” After the complaint was filed on Jan. 21, an investigation by the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office ensued, which resulted in an arrest warrant.
Crabb was arrested on Jan. 22 and booked into the Polk County Jail, where he remains held without bond. He was charged with two felonies, transmission of harmful material to a minor and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.
Crabb last worked at Haines High School in March 2024. Four Corners Sun reported that he was a temporary employee who worked through Kelly Services, which terminated Crabb due to inactivity. Polk County Public Schools never received a complaint about Crabb engaging in inappropriate behavior with students.
After making his initial court appearance on Jan. 23, Crabb was ordered to stay away from minor children and to abstain from using electronic devices with access to the internet. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 25 for his felony arraignment.
