Lawrence man accused of sexually assaulting middle school student now faces multiple rape charges | News, Sports, Jobs

Photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

Kenneth Soap is pictured at a motions hearing in Douglas County District Court on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.

A Lawrence man awaiting trial for sexually abusing numerous prepubescent girls at a Lawrence middle school has now been charged with several additional sex crimes dating back 16 years.

The defendant, Kenneth W. Soap, 44, was charged Thursday with three counts of aggravated sexual assault in connection with two incidents in May 2008 and one in February 2012, and one count of aggravated sodomy in connection with an incident in May 2008. He was also charged in July with five counts of rape and one count of aggravated sexual assault dating back to 2009.

In all counts, the lawsuit names victims who were unable to consent, either because they were under the influence of intoxicating substances or because they were unconscious or physically incapacitated. Some counts specifically mention victims who were 16 years of age or older.

Lawrence police spokeswoman Laura McCabe told the Journal-World that the additional charges are a “continuation” of the original investigation.

“Members of our SVU (Special Victims Unit) have been working diligently to examine all digital materials in our possession and identify potential victims,” ​​McCabe said. “We hope that anyone who recognizes the suspect or believes they may have been harmed by him will contact us.”

Soap is currently in the Douglas County Jail and is charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child, aggravated internet trafficking of child pornography, aggravated human trafficking, and sexual extortion.

As the Journal-World reported, he was arrested last year after a teacher overheard four students at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School discussing that a man was calling them and sending them offensive messages on Snapchat.

That overheard conversation – about nude photos and obscene pick-up lines directed at 11- and 12-year-olds – led to an investigation by Soap, which uncovered even more disturbing allegations of illicit contact with even more children, including the exchange of pornographic photos and videos for money and the man demanding that the young girls call him “daddy.”

Soap's next court date is set for October 22, and he is being held on $250,000 bail.