Lawrence police credit a number of agencies with capturing Terry McIntyre, a suspect in a rape and robbery.
Lawrence police are jubilant that accused rapist and robber Terry McIntyre is behind bars, and local and federal prosecutors will meet soon to decide whether he'll be charged in Douglas County or in federal court.
"This individual may be responsible for dozens of incidents in a multistate region and we are gratified he is off the street and appreciative of the cooperation of the other agencies," Lawrence Police Chief Ron Olin said Thursday.
Police say McIntyre, featured on "America's Most Wanted," on July 2 robbed Payless ShoeSource, 3231 Iowa. McIntyre, 39, allegedly locked a female clerk in a store bathroom while he raped her co-worker.
FBI agents watching McIntyre's girlfriend, Dana Jones, saw him meet her on Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo., and called police to stop him in his rented car. Instead of stopping, he led police on a high-speed chase, which ended when he crashed the car at 53rd Street and Prospect Avenue.
He began running, but was caught by police. Jones stayed in the car and police arrested her for aiding a felon. Information about the chase and Jones' arrest was unavailable Thursday.
Douglas County Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney Tonkovich has talked with federal prosecutors, but no decision has been reached whether state or federal charges will be filed.
Police arrested McIntyre on a federal warrant for interfering with interstate commerce (the Hobbs Act), robbery and possession of a handgun during the commission of a felony. Olin said local charges, if filed, could include aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated robbery, rape and two counts of kidnapping.
An employee at Payless ShoeSource declined to comment.
"We're not allowed to comment on that, and neither is our home office," the employee said.
Lawrence police spokesman Sgt. George Wheeler said McIntyre might be connected to similar crimes in the Kansas City area, but said police there haven't made a positive link.
"Kansas City authorities are looking at him for a number of crimes in the Kansas City metropolitan area, but I won't say he's a suspect," Wheeler said. "We made him on our robbery."
Olin said four Lawrence officers and detectives were involved in the investigation leading to his arrest, along with FBI agents, police from Kansas City, Kan., Kansas City, Mo., and Overland Park, and representatives of the Douglas County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
McIntyre remained in a Kansas City, Mo., jail cell Thursday. It wasn't known when charges would be filed.
-- Chris Koger's phone message number is 832-7126. His e-mail address is ckoger@ljworld.com.
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