Judge hears testimony that man violated conditions of bond in sodomy case

Douglas County prosecutors Wednesday accused a 32-year-old Topeka man of disobeying his bond conditions by having contact with the alleged victim and victim’s mother in the last two months in Lawrence and in Florida.

Amy McGowan, a chief assistant district attorney, is asking District Judge Paula Martin to revoke the man’s $75,000 bond.

He faces an aggravated criminal sodomy charge. Police have said a Lawrence woman alleged the suspect had inappropriate sexual relations with her son in a south-central Lawrence residence in April. At the time, the suspect was the woman’s boyfriend.

A baby sitter for the woman’s family testified Wednesday that she saw the suspect in late October at the family’s home in Lawrence. Lawrence police officer Anthony Brixius also testified the woman had moved the family to Florida and that a landlord there said the suspect helped the woman negotiate a rental contract. Brixius said police had statements from the victim who said the suspect had been around the family in both Lawrence and Florida.

The Journal-World generally does not identify sex crime suspects unless they are convicted.

Defense attorney Sarah Swain said in court Wednesday she had travel records that could show the suspect was not in Lawrence on the days the baby sitter alleged.

District Judge Paula Martin scheduled the bond revocation hearing to continue today, and she ordered the defendant not to have contact with the victim, his family or any witnesses or their families.

The trial was scheduled to begin next week, but Martin agreed Wednesday to delay it.