Ottawa man sentenced for offender registration violation and exposing himself

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Ryan J. Lawrence, 38, of Ottawa, will serve 22 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for a violation of the Kansas Offender Registration Act and two misdemeanor counts of lewd and lascivious behavior.

Judge Stacey Donovan sentenced Lawrence, who was convicted on November 20, 2023, to 22 months for violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act by failing to register a vehicle and 6 months each for two misdemeanor counts of lewd and lascivious behavior. All three sentences will run concurrently. Lawrence also will serve 24 months post-release supervision.

Charges stemmed from two separate incidents that occurred on the night of January 26, 2023, when Lawrence exposed himself to two women who were walking near the University of Kansas campus. 

Lawrence, who is already required to register as a sex offender for life, received a felony conviction for lewd and lascivious behavior in Franklin County in 2004 and numerous other misdemeanor lewd and lascivious behavior convictions in Johnson, Douglas and Franklin counties.

“We all should be able to walk any neighborhood in our community without fear,” District Attorney Valdez said. “Those who threaten our sense of safety will be held accountable.”

Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Tatum represented the State in the case that was investigated by the Lawrence Kansas Police Department and the University of Kansas Police Department.