photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Mateo Emilio Clavel Wills is pictured during a motions hearing in Douglas County District Court on March 3, 2023. Wills is accused of multiple sex crimes against a 3- and 4-year-old at the Raintree Montessori School in Lawrence.

An attorney for a man accused of inappropriately touching two children at a Lawrence preschool where he worked has withdrawn from the case after two years, citing a conflict of interest with a witness.

The defendant, Mateo Clavel Wills, 22, of Lawrence, is charged in Douglas County District Court with four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child under the age of 14. Two counts are alleged to have involved a 3-year-old, and the other two are alleged to have involved a 4-year-old, according to charging documents. The charges are off-grid felonies and could result in a life sentence if Wills is convicted.

The incidents are alleged to have happened between November 2021 and July 2022 at Raintree Montessori School, 4601 Clinton Parkway, when Wills was a part-time child care worker at the school. Wills was arrested on July 6, 2022.

Wills’ attorney, Angela Keck, filed to withdraw from the case on Monday, and her request was granted on Wednesday afternoon. Keck is a longtime attorney in Douglas County and has represented clients accused of serious offenses such as violent crimes and sexual assault.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Attorney Angela Keck during a hearing on May 9, 2024, in Douglas County District Court.

Judge Sally Pokorny asked Keck to further explain why she needed to withdraw, noting that the case had been ongoing for two years. Pokorny wanted to know what had changed between when Keck took the case and now.

Keck said that the conflict with a witness only arose last week, and that she could not talk about the conflict in front of the prosecution because it could be prejudicial toward Wills. She said she would make herself available to the judge to discuss the matter further if necessary.

Pokorny then asked Wills if he was OK with Keck’s withdrawal. Wills said he had discussed it and understood the conflict. He said he was hoping to get another attorney within the week.

Pokorny then allowed Keck to withdraw and scheduled Wills for an attorney review conference on July 3.

The case has already been mired in delays after the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office said that it had a conflict of its own and would need to secure a special prosecutor. Since then, two special prosecutors have come and gone; the third special prosecutor, Joshua Ney of Olathe, was just appointed in April.

Prior to April, Wills had been in custody at the Douglas County Jail on a $100,000 bond. But after the second prosecutor withdrew, Pokorny ordered that Wills would be granted house arrest and a $100,000 own-recognizance bond instead, meaning he was not required to pay any money to be released but could be charged that amount if he fails to appear in court.

Other delays in the case have come at the request of Keck as she has tried to secure experts to testify.