The husband of the Nebraska professor accused of having sexual relations with one of her students has been revealed to be a Harvard-trained Department of Defense deputy.
Erin Ward, 45, was charged with one count of felony sexual abuse by a school employee after she was found naked with the 17-year-old high school boy in her husband’s car.
Now, DailyMail.com can reveal that her husband is a high-ranking US government employee who has worked with the Department of Defense for almost two decades.
William Douglas ‘Doug’ Ward, 53, was named deputy director of the Commander’s Action Group and senior adviser for nuclear deterrence at the US Strategic Command in February.
His LinkedIn shows that he worked with Strategic Command since 2005 and initially served as deputy branch chief.
The husband of Nebraska substitute teacher Erin Ward has been revealed as Doug Ward, 53, an employee of the US Department of Defense.
Ward, 45, was arrested Saturday morning after Douglas County sheriff’s deputies found her naked inside a car with a 17-year-old student.
The couple’s daughter, a 10th grader, is about the same age as the boy Ward sexually abused.
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, Doug graduated from Harvard Extension School in 2021 with a master’s degree in political science and government.
The father of three posted a photo dressed in a cap and gown on X, formerly Twitter, while attending a virtual graduation ceremony during the pandemic.
‘I graduated today!’ he proclaimed, accompanied by the hashtag ‘#couchcommencement’.
The couple shares a home in Gretna, outside Omaha, with their three teenage children.
His adopted daughter is a 10th grader about the same age as the boy Ward is accused of abusing.
The couple’s children feature prominently on their social media pages, where they praise their academic achievements.
Doug liked several tweets alleging child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in 2017, among photos of his children and retweets of his wife’s page.
Doug graduated from Harvard Extension School in 2021 with a master’s degree in political science and government.
The father of three was named deputy director of the Commander’s Action Group for the United States Strategic Command in February.
Ward (center) was a substitute teacher at several Omaha area schools, including Omaha Burke High School.
In November, Ward posted a photo of keys, a printed schedule and a lanyard from Omaha Burke High School on his profile.
“Without a doubt the best school as a guest teacher,” she wrote. “Favorite building to teach in… love when he becomes a bulldog.”
The 45-year-old man worked as a substitute teacher in several schools in the metropolitan area. It was in Burke where he met the teenager who she was found with in the early morning hours of April 13.
Around 3 a.m., Douglas County 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 “which was determined to be owned by Ward and his spouse,” the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 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 fled on foot, wearing only a T-shirt, boxers and socks, and was found approximately an hour later.
Ward was getting dressed in the back seat when officers approached.
They recovered an Omaha Public Schools employee ID from inside the car. Ward confirmed that she was a substitute teacher at Burke, where the teen was enrolled, and she admitted to having sexual relations with him.
In November, Ward posted a photo of a Burke High School schedule and lanyard on X, formerly Twitter, professing that it was “the best school.”
Doug (second from left) and Erin Ward (far right) have three children together, two sons and a daughter.
The couple and their children live in Gretna, a city outside of Omaha.
Police recovered an Omaha Public Schools identification card from the car where Ward and the child were found. He admitted that the 17-year-old was a student at Burke and was charged with one count of felony sexual abuse by a school employee.
Both she and the victim were taken to the hospital to treat minor injuries resulting from the accident.
Because the age of consent in Nebraska is 16, Ward was not charged with statutory rape, but faces a Class IIA felony charge that carries up to 20 years in prison.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office announced it is working closely with Omaha Public Schools amid the ongoing investigation.
Burke Principal Darren Rasmussen issued a statement to community members following news of Ward’s arrest.
“We are writing to share that authorities have arrested a metropolitan area substitute teacher for inappropriate conduct 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 any other in our district.
‘Our top priority is always the safety and well-being of the students we serve. We take this very seriously. Counselors will be available on Tuesday for students who need support.’