Lawrence man, 52, faces solicitation and child exploitation charges

Douglas County prosecutors have filed solicitation and two child exploitation charges against a 52-year-old Lawrence man who was arrested Wednesday night.

“In the course of the investigation some items were seized from the defendant,” legal intern Mitchell Peterson said in court Friday. “It’s the state’s belief that additional charges will be brought against this defendant.”

Court records show the man faces one count of electronic solicitation of a child under age 14 and two counts of possession of any visual depiction or images of a child under 18 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Prosecutors alleged the incidents occurred between April 1, 2011, and Aug. 31, 2011.

The arrest was made after police interviewed the man at the Investigations and Training Center, 4820 Bob Billings Parkway. Lawrence police have not released additional information about the case.

The man told the judge Friday he was a midnight security guard for a De Soto company and asked for a bond that would allow him to attend work, but pro-tem Judge James George set bond at $100,000 and ordered the man to have no contact with any children under 18 except his son.

The man’s next hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in front of District Judge Peggy Kittel.

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