photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured on Dec. 2, 2025.

A Lawrence attorney for a Texas man accused of sex crimes against Douglas County children is asking the court to keep the public from seeing the reasons for the man’s arrest.

Dominik Jamal Smith, of Irving, Texas, was charged in December 2025 with electronic solicitation of a child under the age of 14 and sexual exploitation of a child between 14 and 18 years old. Both offenses are alleged to have occurred three years ago, in January 2023, in Douglas County. Smith was arrested on a warrant last week.

His attorney, Michael Clarke, filed a motion this week asking the court to seal Smith’s arrest affidavit, claiming, among other things, that disclosure of the document would likely lead to “widespread republication” of explicit allegations and a substantial probability of prejudice to his client.

Clarke acknowledges in his motion that Kansas courts recognize a strong presumption of openness in criminal proceedings and records “and that sealing is an extraordinary remedy requiring a stringent showing and careful findings.” He has asked the court to redact material he objects to in the event that the court won’t agree to completely hide the entire affidavit.

An arrest affidavit is a sworn document compiled by law enforcement officers explaining what they believe constituted probable cause to deprive an individual of his freedom and take him into custody to face charges.

Smith, 21, is being held in the Douglas County Jail on a bond of $500,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 18.