photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Maurice Anthony Mahan

A 55-year-old man was convicted Thursday of felony criminal threat in a case where he was initially charged with attempting to rob a Lawrence restaurant employee last spring.

The threat conviction followed a no contest plea by Maurice Anthony Mahan, who will be sentenced on Feb. 24.

As the Journal-World reported, the crime occurred the night of May 25, 2025, outside the Basil Leaf Cafe, 801 Massachusetts St. The restaurant employee told police he was out on the patio when a man with a sharp weapon — later described in the charging document as a 9-inch spike — approached and demanded money. The employee grabbed a rock for self-defense, if needed, then pushed record on his phone and dialed 911. Mahan took off but was later arrested and charged with attempted aggravated robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

As part of his deal with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office, Mahan’s charges were amended to one felony count of criminal threat, which he pleaded no contest to. Additionally, the state dropped a charge of lewd and lascivious conduct stemming from an incident the day prior to the restaurant incident.

Mahan was convicted by a Douglas County jury in April 2024 of a felony count of making a criminal threat and a misdemeanor count of theft. According to a news release from then-Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez, those convictions related to a June 21, 2023, incident in which Mahan put items in a suitcase while at Walmart, 3300 Iowa St., and left the store without paying. When a store employee told Mahan to stop, Mahan threatened to shoot the employee.