Sentencing was delayed Thursday in the case of a Lawrence man who has pleaded no contest to a child sex crime. Robert W. Copas, 37, of Lawrence, was charged in July 2017 with aggravated indecent liberties with a child. In March, he pleaded no contest to the same charge but as a less severe felony, the Journal-World has reported. Copas was first set to be sentenced in April, but that was delayed after his ...
A long-running murder case is set to go to trial next week in Douglas County District Court — nearly five years after the victim was found dead in her Lawrence apartment. Rontarus Washington Jr., 23, is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 19-year-old Justina Altamirano Mosso, who was found stabbed and bludgeoned in the bathroom of her apartment in the 1700 block of West 24th ...
A man has been charged in Douglas County District Court in connection with a burglary reported Aug. 13 at the Islamic Center of Lawrence. Amadou Oury Bah, 32, was charged Thursday with two felonies: burglary of the center, at 1917 Naismith Drive, and theft of at least $1,500 but less than $25,000. He also faces one misdemeanor charge of criminal damage to property for allegedly damaging a screen and lock at ...
A 36-year-old Lawrence man charged with multiple sex crimes against a child has waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and his defense attorney said she thought the case would be resolved through a plea agreement. Frank J. Martinez is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, all off-grid level felonies, and two counts of indecent liberties with a child, both lower-level ...
A man who allegedly led law enforcement on an on- and off-road chase on Aug. 11 was bound over for trial Wednesday. Kenneth Jeremy Leedom, 32, of Woodbury, Tenn., is charged with four felonies: aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer, aggravated endangering of a child, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and theft/possession of stolen property, according to the complaint filed against ...
A Lawrence man who had been charged in multiple cases in Douglas County District Court, the most serious of which involved attempted second-degree murder, has entered a plea deal to lessen the severity of his charges and dismiss some others. Alfred D. Sanders, 47, on Wednesday pleaded no contest to six felonies: three counts of aggravated assault and one count each of criminal discharge of a firearm, possession ...