Lawrence man charged with child sex crimes after Sunday arrest

A Lawrence man is facing two felony child sex allegations after police arrested Steven Lee Braswell, 75, early Sunday evening in the 400 block of Michigan Street and later charged him Monday in Douglas County District Court.

Charging documents say Braswell faces one count of aggravated criminal sodomy and one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The alleged victim was born in 2010, placing the child under 14, and the conduct is believed to have happened several years ago before it was recently reported to law enforcement.

That timing is significant in child abuse cases. Allegations involving young victims often surface long after the conduct described, when the child is finally able to disclose what happened or when other adults learn enough to report it. In this case, the gap between the alleged conduct and the report means investigators and prosecutors will likely rely on statements, records and other corroborating evidence as the case moves forward.

Braswell was scheduled for a first court appearance Monday afternoon, moving the case quickly from arrest to the local court system. Douglas County Judge Stacey Donovan was listed as duty judge through Friday, May 15, 2026, according to the county court calendar.

Kansas statutes set out both charges in serious terms. State law defines criminal sodomy and aggravated criminal sodomy under K.S.A. 21-5504, and indecent liberties with a child and aggravated indecent liberties with a child under K.S.A. 21-5506. Kansas law treats aggravated indecent liberties with a child under 14 as a severity level 1 person felony, and the state’s sentencing laws also include Jessica’s Law provisions for certain convictions involving aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

The allegations have not been proven in court, and Braswell is presumed innocent unless and until a judge or jury says otherwise. Still, the case has immediate public significance in Lawrence and Douglas County because it involves a very young child, a serious felony prosecution and claims that were only brought forward after the alleged conduct had already passed.