Lawrence man sentenced to 53 months in prison for aggravated battery

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Breyon Paul Townsend, 21, of Lawrence, was sentenced to 53 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for aggravated battery of a Lawrence man.

“Each of us should be able to walk the streets of our community without fear of violence,” District Attorney Valdez said. 

Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 22, 2024, when Townsend approached a 20-year-old Lawrence man near 14th and Ohio streets. Townsend punched the man and then left the area in a vehicle. Police later identified Townsend using surveillance footage.

Judge Sally Pokorny also sentenced Townsend, who pleaded guilty in April, to 24 months of post-release supervision. The sentence will run consecutively to a felony case in Johnson County where Townsend was serving probation at the time of the incident.

Assistant District Attorney Madeline Bjorklun represented the State of Kansas. The matter was investigated by the Lawrence Police Department.