Lawrence man sentenced to 16 months in prison for making a criminal threat during theft

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Maurice Anthony Mahan, 53, of Lawrence, was sentenced to 16 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for making a criminal threat.

Found guilty by a jury in April, Mahan also was sentenced to 12 months of post-release supervision by Judge Amy Hanley.

“My priority remains to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone in our community,” District Attorney Valdez said. “This kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”

Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on June 21, 2023, when Mahan placed items in a suitcase while at the Walmart Superstore, located at 3300 Iowa St., and left the store without paying for the items. When a store employee told Mahan to stop, Mahan threatened to shoot the employee before walking away. Lawrence police officers arrested Mahan a short time later. Sentencing for a related misdemeanor theft conviction will be decided at a later date.

Senior Assistant District Attorney David Greenwald represented the State of Kansas. The matter was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department.