Ex-Crete school bus driver accused of sexually assaulting 13-year-old in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A 41-year-old Crete man was charged Monday with first-degree sexual assault of a child.

On Nov. 22, the Lincoln Police Department received a report of a 13-year-old girl getting texts and Snapchat messages from Joseph Ganz.

The messages included “sexually explicit content,” according to an arrest affidavit.

Ganz met with the girl outside of her home in Lincoln on Nov. 12.  He then sexually assaulted her in his vehicle, the affidavit alleges.

The girl told investigators that Ganz gave her e-cigarettes in exchange for sexual acts.

Police said they posed as the girl and contacted Ganz.  According to the affidavit, he responded and made plans to meet her at her home on Saturday for additional sexual acts.

But he never met the girl.

Instead, Lincoln Police and the Nebraska State Patrol found Ganz and took him into custody.

Police learned that Ganz was a school bus driver and met the victim last school year, according to the affidavit.

Ganz worked for Holiday Express, which has a contract with Crete Public Schools, a company spokesperson confirmed.  The 2022-23 school year was his last with the company.

The charge against him carries a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.

A Lancaster County judge set Ganz’s bond at $750,000.  He must pay $75,000 to be released from jail.