Felony threat charge against Kansas football’s Joe Krause could lead to prison time

Kansas football offensive lineman Joseph Krause appeared before a Douglas County judge via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon following an arrest for a “severity level 5 person felony” of aggravated criminal threat, per a criminal complaint filed by an assistant district attorney.

Krause stands accused of “unlawfully, feloniously, and with the intent to place another in fear, or to cause the evacuation, lock down or disruption in regular, ongoing activities of any building, communicate a threat to commit violence.” That alleged threat came on Monday, when the Kansas football facilities were evacuated following reports of a bomb threat.

Krause was booked at 4:35 p.m. on Monday.

Damon Tucker, interim deputy chief of the University of Kansas Police Department, said Monday evening that a “subject was identified and arrested for making the threats.” He also said an “all-clear” was issued for the Anderson Family Football Complex, Beatty Family Pavilion and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium just after 8 p.m.

Speaking in court on Tuesday, Krause said he has not yet retained an attorney but planned to do so in the next 48 hours.

The judge set bond in the case at $10,000. The state had requested Krause’s bond be set at $30,000 and Krause have a no-contact order with non-enforcement witnesses.

Douglas County Public Information Officer George Diepenbrock told The Star that Krause was released on Tuesday afternoon after posting his $10,000 bail.

Krause’s next court date is set for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, August 2.

Per the court filing, the penalty range for the charges Krause is facing range from “a minimum of 31 months (2 years, 7 months) to a maximum of 136 months (11 years, 4 months) in prison and/or a fine of up to $300,000 and 24 months of post-release supervision.”

Originally from Shawnee Mission East high school, Krause has spent three seasons on the KU football team as a walk-on. He redshirted in the 2021 season and hasn’t seen in-game action since appearing in two contests in 2020.

On Tuesday morning, a KU spokesperson confirmed KU is “aware of a situation involving one of our student athletes,” adding in a statement: “We take the safety of our staff, student-athletes and coaches very seriously. We are gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”