photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Lawrence Police Department headquarters, 5100 Overland Drive, is pictured June 28, 2022.

Updated at 4:16 p.m. Thursday

A man who worked at a Lawrence child-care facility has been charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child in connection with incidents involving two children at the facility.

The man, Mateo Emilio Clavel Wills, 19, of Lawrence, was taken into custody by Lawrence police around 8 p.m. Wednesday at police headquarters, 5100 Overland Drive, according to the jail booking log.

Wills has been charged with four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14 for incidents that allegedly happened between November 2021 and this month. There are two counts involving a 3-year-old and two counts involving a 4-year-old, according to charging documents. The charges are off-grid felonies, which come with a potential life sentence.

During Wills’ first court appearance Thursday afternoon, Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden said that Wills had worked at the child-care facility since November 2021 and that he was responsible for watching children during nap time, which is when the crimes are alleged to have happened. Seiden said prosecutors expected to file additional charges related to the two children and they were investigating whether other children may have been affected.

Police did not identify the child-care facility, but two witnesses in the charging documents include the assistant head of school and the directress of Raintree Montessori School, 4601 Clinton Parkway.

The Journal-World reached out to Raintree Montessori School Thursday afternoon by phone and was told that Raintree would have no comment on the matter.

Lawrence police spokeswoman Laura McCabe said the investigation was ongoing.

“Lawrence investigators continue to work closely with our community partners, including the Child Advocacy Center, to provide resources to anyone affected by the situation,” McCabe said.

She added that because the case involves allegations of sex crimes and is an ongoing investigation, no further details would be immediately available.

“Our investigators are working closely with everyone involved to help navigate this process,” she said. “We understand the public’s concerns and will provide more information as we’re able.”

Judge Blake Glover on Thursday set Wills’ bond at $750,000, as requested by Seiden. Defense attorney Michael Clarke was appointed to represent Wills, whose next court date is July 13. One condition of Wills’ bond, if he posts it, is that he could not return to his own home, where children reside.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office declined to release Wills’ booking photo.