Former resident pleads no contest to sex crime

A former Lawrence resident has pleaded no contest in Douglas County District Court to sex crimes involving two girls, ages 5 and 9.

Theron W. Brown, 50, Capitol Heights, Md., initially was charged with four counts of rape, but he entered the plea earlier this month to two counts of attempted rape. He will appear Aug. 16 for sentencing.

The crimes happened on or about Jan. 1, 1999, in Douglas County, but Brown wasn’t arrested until November. The victims in the case were acquaintances.

Check forger sentenced to prison for 26 months

A Lawrence woman is headed to prison for forging checks in the name of a Eudora woman killed last year in a house fire.

A judge on Tuesday sentenced Valeria A. Cheek, 40, to 26 months in prison for forging checks that once belonged to Naomi Kidd, 77, who died in February 2003.

Cheek initially was charged with 30 counts of forgery but entered a plea to 15 counts. According to court records, Cheek has a history of forging checks to feed a crack-cocaine addiction.

She also faces current crack-cocaine distribution charges in U.S. District Court after allegedly selling cocaine to Tania Atkins, an undercover Lawrence police informant injured April 29 in a shooting in North Lawrence.

Atkins said it was Cheek who helped connect her with Andre L. “Dre” Ivory, from whom Atkins allegedly made more undercover cocaine buys.

Ivory, his girlfriend and two Lawrence women are charged with plotting Atkins’ shooting to keep her from testifying against Ivory. Cheek is not charged in connection with the plot.

With 3 DUIs in past, driver considers plea

A Lawrence man charged with fourth-time drunken driving in a wreck that injured a pedestrian on 23rd Street is considering a plea agreement, according to court records.

Jeffrey D. Carlson, 31, has a plea hearing scheduled for July 19 in Douglas County District Court. He was scheduled to enter a plea earlier this week, but a judge postponed the hearing, according to records.

Carlson, who has three prior DUI convictions, faces charges including felony DUI, aggravated battery and leaving the scene of an accident. The wreck happened May 17 when Carlson’s sport utility vehicle drove onto a sidewalk and struck a 22-year-old Lawrence woman, who suffered cuts and bruises.

Blues jam king on Brown Bag bill

Lonnie Ray’s Blues Band will entertain outdoor diners today during the Brown Bag Concert.

The show runs from noon to 1 p.m. at the corner of Ninth and Massachusetts streets. People are encouraged to bring their lunch and enjoy free music.

The summer concert series is sponsored by the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department and Downtown Lawrence Inc. It continues through July.