Lawrence man convicted in sexually motivated aggravated battery case

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Romeo D. Martinez, 23, of Lawrence, pleaded no contest Wednesday to aggravated battery with a special finding that the crime was sexually motivated.

Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on December 5, 2022, when Martinez battered a then 21-year-old woman at her Lawrence apartment located in the 2500 block of W. 31st Street. The woman contacted police after Martinez left her apartment.

“Survivors of sexually motivated crimes deserve justice and everyone in our community deserves to be safe,” District Attorney Valdez said. 

Senior Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Leal represented the State of Kansas. The matter was investigated by the Special Victims Unit of the Lawrence Police Department.

Judge Stacey Donovan set Martinez’s sentencing for 4 p.m., on June 5, 2024, at the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

Martinez faces between 62 to 69 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. Martinez also must register as a sexual offender for 15 years.