photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Kenneth Soap is pictured at a motions hearing Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Douglas County District Court.

The state is asking a Douglas County judge to keep the public from seeing the reasons why law enforcement arrested a man accused of numerous sex crimes.

The Douglas County District Attorney’s Office this week filed motions to have probable cause affidavits sealed in three cases related to defendant Kenneth W. Soap, and Soap’s attorney has also filed motions to keep the information from the public.

An arrest affidavit is a sworn document by law enforcement officials outlining their probable cause for making an arrest.

Soap, 45, is facing multiple counts of rape, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated criminal sodomy, criminal sodomy with an animal, DUI, battery on a law enforcement officer and other offenses.

The alleged sex crimes span several years, beginning in 2008.

In his motion, Senior Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Leal is not specific but says letting the public see the reasons for the arrest in all three case “would jeopardize the physical, mental or emotional safety or well-being of a victim, witness, confidential source or undercover agent, or cause the destruction of evidence.”

Leal notes that any jeopardizing material could be redacted, but nevertheless asks the court to seal the entire record in every case.

The motion of the defense attorney, Branden Smith, was filed under seal, so his reasons to keep the information secret are not knowable.

Soap, 45, has been in jail since his initial arrest two years ago, on a bond of $250,000.

Earlier this month, the DA’s Office and Smith said they were trying to reach a “global resolution” for five separate cases involving Soap, who might also face federal charges. The Journal-World requested the affidavits in those cases to understand the reasons of police for arresting him, as well as the scope of his alleged criminal activity.

A previous affidavit related to Soap’s alleged sexual preying on young girls in Lawrence was released two years ago. That affidavit, which told of how a teacher at a Lawrence Middle School overheard a group of girls discussing Soap’s alleged solicitation of minors, was released by Judge Amy Hanley with minor redactions.