Police arrest 20-year-old Lawrence man on sex crime charges

Lawrence police Thursday afternoon arrested a 20-year-old Lawrence man on allegations he had sexual relations with a minor.

An investigator arrested the man Thursday afternoon in the 1800 block of East 23rd Street on charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and criminal sodomy, according to Douglas County Jail records.

Sgt. Matt Sarna, a Lawrence police spokesman, said officers were called June 2 by a parent of a 15-year-old Lawrence girl who alleged the suspect, an acquaintance of the girl, had inappropriate sexual relations with the girl May 21 in northeastern Lawrence.

Officers made contact with the suspect and later arrested him. No injures were reported, and the investigation was continuing, Sarna said.

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson’s office will make a decision about filing formal charges in the case.

The suspect was also arrested on a warrant from the Kansas Department of Corrections. According to the KDOC, the suspect had been on parole since February after serving about one year in prison on several theft and burglary convictions in Douglas County.

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