Olathe ? The former Kansas University student suspected of being a serial arsonist made his first appearance Friday in Johnson County District Court, where he is charged with setting two fires in Olathe.

Though more charges are likely to be filed against him in coming weeks, it could be a while before he is charged in Douglas County, prosecutors said.

David R. Jay, 23, Olathe, who was returned to Kansas late Thursday from Fontana, Calif., appeared briefly on a courtroom TV monitor in a hearing before Judge John Anderson III.

Defense attorney Alex McCauley waived formal reading of the charges, and the judge then scheduled Jay’s next court appearance for Thursday. Jay is suspected of setting 15 blazes in Johnson and Douglas County.

He didn’t say a word at his preliminary hearing, and less than 30 seconds passed before the judge called the next case.

Jay, who turned himself in last week in California, is thought to be the man who set fires at Watson Library and two Lawrence businesses earlier this month. He’s also suspected of setting 12 fires in Johnson County but so far faces charges for only two in Olathe: one at a senior center under construction, another at the clubhouse of an apartment building where he used to live.

No charges have been filed in Douglas County, and Johnson County Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison said his office was awaiting paperwork from investigators.

“We anticipate within the next couple of weeks amending the complaint to include several other counts,” he said.

Morrison said he was working with Douglas County Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney’s office to “stage” the prosecutions in a way they think will help yield an appropriate sentence.

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For example, if Jay were convicted of multiple fires in Johnson County, he could have the most serious criminal-history score possible under Kansas law by the time Douglas County had the chance to try him, Morrison said. That means Jay could be facing up to 20 years for the fire at Watson Library, which probably could be charged as the highest-level arson under state law because it caused substantial risk of bodily harm.

“The potential is there for one heck of a lot of time,” Morrison said.

Authorities said they thought that after the last of the suspicious fires, Jay got in his car and began driving west.

Jay, who grew up in Beloit, called police in California last week saying he knew about 15 fires in Kansas and wanted to turn himself in. Morrison said that he didn’t know what Jay’s motive for the fires was but that he didn’t think money or grudges had anything to do with it. Jay recently had lost his job at a restaurant and lived alone, Morrison said.

Jay was being held on $1 million bond. His attorney said he planned to ask the judge next week for a bond reduction. None of Jay’s family attended the hearing, but McCauley said “they’re supportive.”