Lawrence police seek tips in decades-old abuse case against former teacher
Police are asking for witnesses after a former Lawrence teacher was charged in a 2001 sexual abuse case involving a 15-year-old.
Lawrence police are asking residents to help piece together a child sex crime case that reaches back more than 25 years, centered on a former Lawrence High and Free State teacher now facing a felony charge in Douglas County District Court. John Matthew Lotz, 62, of Terre Haute, Indiana, was booked into the Douglas County Jail on June 2 and remains held on $100,000 bond while a bond hearing is set for June 30.
Court records allege Lotz had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old between Feb. 1 and April 1, 2001, while he was teaching in Lawrence. Police said the alleged victim was not one of his students. Lotz worked in Lawrence Public Schools from 1999 to 2001, first at Free State High School and then at Lawrence High School, where he taught theater.
The charge, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, carries a potential sentence of 55 to 247 months and a fine of up to $300,000 if Lotz is convicted. Kansas statute 21-5506 includes sexual intercourse with a child who is 14 or 15 years old within that offense, and the law treats it as an off-grid person felony in some circumstances when an adult offender is involved.
The case underscores how older abuse allegations can surface long after the school year, the staff roster and the informal memories around them have faded. Investigators say additional tips may still matter because witnesses, former classmates, coworkers or others who knew Lotz in Lawrence may now be able to connect dates, locations or other details that were not documented at the time.
Lotz’s later career added another layer to the case. A profile tied to him says he served as assistant director of business engagement at Indiana State University and earlier worked in industrial marketing with Caterpillar after earning a University of Kansas bachelor’s degree in communication and an MBA.
Lawrence police said anyone with helpful information should contact the department through its non-emergency dispatch line or Crime Stoppers. For survivors and witnesses, the criminal complaint shows that allegations involving students or school staff can still be investigated decades later when someone comes forward and prosecutors can build a case around old records, memories and corroborating accounts.
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