photo by: KU Athletics

Joseph Krause

A former KU football player who allegedly called in a bomb threat that caused the evacuation of several University of Kansas football facilities in July entered into a two-year diversion agreement on Thursday to resolve a felony criminal threat charge.

Joseph Michael Krause, 22, is charged in Douglas County District Court with one felony count of aggravated criminal threat, according to charging documents. The charges relate to an incident around 3 p.m. on July 24, as the Journal-World reported. Shortly after Krause was charged, he was released from the KU football program and left the university. Krause, originally from Prairie Village, was a sophomore offensive lineman.

Krause was scheduled to be arraigned on the charge on Thursday after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing in October. He appeared in court alongside his attorney, Christopher Brown. Judge Amy Hanley asked Brown if Krause was ready to proceed, and Brown said he deferred to the prosecutor, Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden.

Seiden said that he and Brown had engaged in an Independent Assessment Conference, or IAC, and had reached an agreement for Krause to be granted diversion. Seiden told the Journal-World after the hearing that Krause’s diversion term would last for two years.

The IAC process involves negotiations between the parties with a mediator to reach an agreement to resolve criminal charges without a trial. A diversion agreement is handled within the District Attorney’s Office. If a defendant completes the terms of the agreement set by the state, the charge against the defendant is dismissed and will not be reflected in the person’s criminal history.

Seiden said during the hearing that along with the negotiations, Krause also provided medical documentation in support of the agreement, though Seiden did not specify what medical condition those documents detailed. He said there was one more piece of information that the DA’s Office needed from Krause — he didn’t specify what — to finalize the deal but that he and Brown would be able to complete the process without additional hearings.

Hanley then scheduled a status conference for Jan. 10 during the court’s regular docket but said that if the parties inform the court that the deal has been finalized, then that hearing will be canceled.

Krause is alleged to have made threats toward KU’s facilities using an anonymous text tip line that resulted in the evacuation of Anderson Family Football Complex, Beatty Family Pavilion and David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. No explosive devices were found, police said at the time.

Krause’s threats included threats of self-harm and issues with Mass St. Collective, the athletic department’s partner for name, image and likeness deals. The messages allegedly mentioned two Mass St. Collective employees by name, according to a police affidavit in support of Krause’s arrest.

The final message received from Krause read, “There is a bomb at the football facilities,” according to the affidavit.

Krause is currently free on a $10,000 surety bond.