Lawrence man appears in court on charge that he sexually assaulted 15-year-old girl

Douglas County prosecutors on Friday afternoon filed a child sex crime charge against a 37-year-old Lawrence man who was arrested Thursday evening.

Lawrence police said they arrested the man Thursday afternoon, after a 15-year-old Lawrence girl had alleged to police Saturday that the man had sexually assaulted her at a south-central Lawrence residence. The girl had told police she had met the man late last week.

According to court records, prosecutors filed one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and allege the crime occurred overnight and ended Sept. 10. Police have said the girl did not suffer any physical injuries.

Douglas County prosecutors said Friday they believed the man if convicted would face significant prison time due to his criminal history, which includes a 1991 conviction for indecent liberties. James George, Douglas County’s pro-tem judge, set the man’s bond at $60,000 and ordered him to appear in court again at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

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