A Lawrence man was arrested Tuesday night in connection with what police called the repeated rapes of two girls.
Police said the parents of the two girls, who are now 8 and 10, reported to officers that the girls said the man, a family friend, had raped both of them repeatedly during the past two years. The rapes, police said, reportedly occurred at a home in the north-central part of Lawrence.
The 32-year-old man was arrested on four counts of rape, three counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The man’s wife, 33, was arrested on charges of endangering a child and felony lewd and lascivious behavior.
Sgt. Bill Cory said police are continuing to investigate whether there are other incidents that involve other victims.
The arrested couple’s neighbor William Tramp said his neighbors regularly had children at their apartment, but he didn’t know whether the couple had any children of their own.
Tramp said he spoke to the male suspect earlier about his relationship with the children who frequented the couple’s apartment.
“He was going to buy Christmas gifts for them,” Tramp said. “I never saw anything inappropriate.”
Cory said cases like this one are not uncommon in Lawrence.
“We have officers trained for this kind of thing, and they stay busy,” he said.
Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Lawrence Police Department at 832-7509 or CrimeStoppers at 843-TIPS (8477).
Comments
justtired 3 years, 6 months ago
Throw away the key!!
jackpot 3 years, 6 months ago
Booking shows him at 32 she is listed at 33. Forget the key put them so deep you feed them with slingshot.
chumchuum 3 years, 6 months ago
i am in law enforcement i can guarantee they are guilty every single time! we don't go around willie nillie arresting people.
Stuart Evans 3 years, 6 months ago
imagine that; a cop that assumes everyone they deal with is guilty...
ivalueamerica 3 years, 6 months ago
So we should bypass the Constitution for your word?
No thank you.
kansasredlegs 3 years, 6 months ago
You must not be old enough to remember the McMarten Pre-school case in California, uh? The longest, most expensive jury trial in the history of California. Law Enforcement showed its true colors in that case, convictions without regard for actual proof, just 'evidence' conjured up by newly birthed Forensic Child Psychologist Soothsayer profession along with Expert Police Child Investigators / Interviewers playing with dolls to get children to say what they needed to hear.
compmd 3 years, 6 months ago
You can guarantee the people you arrest are guilt of what they are charged with every single time? Well with you on the force I suppose we don't need judges or juries! Because chumchuum is never wrong! I worked in law enforcement too, and you disgust me.
Do the profession a favor and turn in your badge.
Fatty_McButterpants 3 years, 6 months ago
Innocent until proven guilty is for the courts, not public opinion.
ebyrdstarr 3 years, 6 months ago
Except, of course, that juries are comprised of people from the public. So when we the public start to let ourselves forget about that presumption, it seeps into jury rooms.
afraidnot 3 years, 6 months ago
It'd be nice if at least some citizens could uphold American ideals though, a core being the presumption of innocence. People just get on here and start blabbing without thinking. Surely very few people support the concept of punishment based purely on an accusation without a fair trial. There are countries that opperate that way though...feel free to move to one of those and see how you like it.
hipper_than_hip 3 years, 6 months ago
Execution within 30 day upon conviction; no second chances, no parole, no probation, no excuses.
DRsmith 3 years, 6 months ago
These people have great patience. I would have probably just killed the guy instead of reporting.
weluvbowling 3 years, 6 months ago
You say that DRsmith, and that is truly what you want to do, BUT, you have to remember, your child needs you so therefore you have to try to think sensibly...rationally. We could all stand in line and beat the he** out of people who do this until they are dead and yes it would save us tax payers ALOT of money..........hey as I type this it doesn't sound half bad! LOL j/k The problem is, this too would be illegal and then the kids would have no parents. You have to think about them needing care before you think about how someone truly needs to die. Remember, there are people in jail and prison who don't like these kind of people so they will be tended to in time. AND I speak only from experience. I am currently a parent in the same type of situation in another County. Those babies are going to need lots of love, guidance and counseling not a parent that is in jail for murder. I had a two day drive to get back to Kansas to think my behavior through.
Bridgett Wagner 3 years, 6 months ago
Is there a point at which we will learn the identities of these two?
Jonathan Kealing 3 years, 6 months ago
Once there is a conviction, we will identify the two suspects.
ebyrdstarr 3 years, 6 months ago
At the risk of being lambasted for being too protective of the presumption of innocence, shouldn't you write "if" there are convictions?
bartstop 3 years, 6 months ago
That policy sucks.
Sniffer 3 years, 6 months ago
Upon conviction? If it isn't dropped or plead out, but rather it goes to a judge/jury to decide, isn't the trial itself open to the public - isn't that when the names are made known?
Jonathan Kealing 3 years, 6 months ago
You certainly could go to the trial and get the names. It's our policy, with cases of alleged sexual abuse, not to name names until there's a conviction.
puddleglum 3 years, 6 months ago
get 'em kealing!
aletheia 3 years, 6 months ago
I understand LJW's policy, but you can access public records through the DGSO website. Look at the booking recap. You can see who was booked and the charges filed.
Bridgett Wagner 3 years, 6 months ago
Cool. Thanks!
whats_going_on 3 years, 6 months ago
If this is true, GROSS, gtf out of our town. If not, and this is another case like that poor school teacher a few weeks ago, UGH.
tobe2000 3 years, 6 months ago
If true, these two should never see the light of day again. To me, even just killing them is too lenient.
40ozToFreedom 3 years, 6 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Clark Coan 3 years, 6 months ago
All criminals who need to be separated from civil society forever, should be placed on an island in the Pacific. Give them some seeds and tools and let them "homestead". A satellite can watch to see if they try to escape.
inklines 3 years, 6 months ago
QT, Great Britain used to think that way about their criminals and far away penal colonies. I believe they called it Australia.
Tamaralaug 3 years, 6 months ago
If you want to know who it is, just go the Douglas County Sheriff's office website and read the Booking Recap report. It is public record and it lists their names right there.
http://www.dgso.org/web/index.php
40ozToFreedom 3 years, 6 months ago
The Capital Journal has there names listed in there article.
zstoltenberg 3 years, 6 months ago
"their names listed in their article. "their" is possessive, "there" is a place.
Randall Barnes 3 years, 6 months ago
casterate and rock salt.cut it off
Randall Barnes 3 years, 6 months ago
johnathan k. if i read an article from cj online which reveals their names why can't we discuss that ?
http://cjonline.com/news/state/2010-06-02/law_pair_arrested_for_sex_assault
hawkman8950 3 years, 6 months ago
Damn good point Rando! No wonder why i prefer out of town papers over the local empire of doom known as The World Company
KEITHMILES05 3 years, 6 months ago
Why is it ok to identify Lew Perkins and this Dent guy in your reporting? Just a thought.
pfunk81 3 years, 6 months ago
Are you serious? Were they involved in a life ruining sex crime?
Iam Tired 3 years, 6 months ago
Dent is not a child. He may have been screwed over by Lew, but not raped.
Allegations of rape or child molestation stick with people, even if the allegation is proven to be false. I agree with the LJW policy. It may be a mute point since the information is available elsewhere; however, they are doing the right thing.
KUHOOPS 3 years, 6 months ago
What the hell is a "mute" point?
Stuart Evans 3 years, 6 months ago
it's when the person making it can't talk.
aletheia 3 years, 6 months ago
Actually, it's a "moot" point -- as in no longer applicable or relevent.
Iam Tired 3 years, 6 months ago
Thank you, aletheia. That is the problem with depending on spell check programs. It only catches misspelled words, not the wrong words that are spelled correctly.
Thank the almighty that we had KUHOOPS to discover this atrocity.
A story about a man raping children, and KUHOOPS notices the incorrect use of one word in one comment.
Iam Tired 3 years, 6 months ago
I am sure you think that is clever...its not.
srj 3 years, 6 months ago
Innocent until proven guilty, especially the wife. She was not charged with rape, so maybe she was just stupid/blind. Maybe she was just charged to scare her into testifying.
JoRight 3 years, 6 months ago
http://www.dgso.org
Visit the booking recap if you're curious.
mr_right_wing 3 years, 6 months ago
Unfortunately I do know something about this. The guy knows he is guilty; the story above didn't say, but he turned himself in. I would be extremely surprised if he doesn't plead guilty or no contest. This is heart-breaking (especially for the victims) No further comments from me.
sunny 3 years, 6 months ago
Turned himself in could mean that he went to the police station to find out what/why etc the charges were for. That hardly means he is admitting guilt.
Don't know...just saying!
kernal 3 years, 6 months ago
Perhaps because the perp lives in central Lawrence?
Hoots 3 years, 6 months ago
This is why I stay a million miles away from anyone under 25. They could be guilty as sin or it could be another witch hunt. I know no children on purpose for this reason. Hang em if they really did but their lives are desroid even if they didn't. Reason #1 not to be a male teacher and reason #1 we have so few.
JoRight 3 years, 6 months ago
Seriously, every adult should stay away from any children. . .they are just too tempting. . .Hoots, you're weirding me out man
emptymind 3 years, 6 months ago
Sad story
458casul 3 years, 6 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
NewsReader2 3 years, 6 months ago
One of my good friends lives in the same apartment building as this couple. It's very sad for me to say that there were children constantly coming and going through their apartment. He was heavily involved in some sort of Baptist church related children's program, pulling up to his apt with vans full of kids. Always was a bit weary of their confederate flags, but never once thought this could happen... I usually don't do the online forum thing but Jesus.....
Paul Hahn 3 years, 6 months ago
Churches need to make a policy of conducting background checks on youth volunteers. Especially with men who come out of nowhere, eager to do youth ministry. That person may have the appearance of being a God-send; but that's the M.O. of sexual predators.
Paul Hahn, LMFT
Just_as_if 3 years, 6 months ago
It is amazing how everyone here has the answers, especially when they know nothing of the situation. A background check does not reveal first time offenders.
cletus26 3 years, 6 months ago
well when the truth is revealed, i hope they get what is suppose to come to them; whether good or bad. justice must prevail.
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