Norman Teacher Accused Of Using Craigslist To Solicit Sex With Child

A Norman teacher was arrested by an undercover officer after allegedly posting an ad soliciting for sex with a child on Craigslist.

According to a report, the undercover officer had been communicating with 25-year-old Joseph Leon Love since early March, after responding to a Craigslist ad.

The ad read:

“Any dads like to perv over their young sons, let’s talk. I want to talk to any real dads out there who have sons and like to think pervy thoughts about them. Let’s have some hot chat.”

The undercover officer contacted Love and claimed to be the father of a 9-year-old boy. The two maintained a dialogue over the next few months and eventually the conversation changed to one where Love started asking to meet up with the undercover officer and his “child” for the purpose of having sex.

According to the officer, in their conversations Love gave very detailed sexually graphic descriptions of what he’d like to do to the child. He also said he would bring marijuana for the three of them to smoke, as well as grape wine coolers for the child to help “loosen him up.”

The officer set up a meeting with Love on Aug. 3 at an apartment complex in El Reno. Love arrived around 5:45 p.m. He briefly spoke with the undercover officer before being arrested by other assisting officers who were hiding nearby.

Love was booked into the Canadian County Jail on one count of Attempted Lewd Acts with a Child Under 16, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Child Pornography and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Love is out of jail after posting a $60,500 bond. 

According to El Reno Police, Love is employed with Norman Public Schools and with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health in Norman as a teacher. Due to his proximity with children, both facilities have been made aware of his arrest and the charges he is facing.

Norman Public Schools released the following statement reagrding this incident: 

"Student safety is a priority for Norman Public Schools. We were informed today by the El Reno Police Department of charges filed against a temporary teacher assigned to Longfellow Middle School and we are cooperating with investigators. We have received the employee’s resignation, prior to the district’s recommendation for termination, and he is no longer employed with the district. The district soon will make appropriate Oklahoma State Board of Education notifications in compliance with recent state legislation." 

The case remains under investigation.