19-year-old man charged with rape and indecent liberties filed in Shawnee County

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – A 19-year-old man will go to trial in April 2025 on charges of rape and taking indecent liberties with a child, authorities said Monday.

The evidence was presented at a preliminary hearing in State v. Christopher Michael Belk, 19, in Shawnee County District Court on Oct. 25.

At the end of the hearing, the court ruled against Belk on the following grounds.

• Count 1: Aggravated indecent liberties – obscene fondling with a child under 14 and an offender 18 or older.

• Count 2: Aggravated indecent liberties – obscene fondling with a child under 14 and an offender 18 or older.

• Count 3: Rape – Child under 14, offender 18 and over.

A jury trial was set for the week of April 14, 2025, in Shawnee County District Court.

According to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, around January 3, 2024, Topeka Police Department and Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office officers responded to a residence in North Topeka on reports of a sexual assault that had previously occurred.

Shawnee County District Court spokeswoman Katie Garceran said the report was written by two underage women.

The gunman, later identified as Belk, was known to the victims, Garceran said.

Authorities said that after the report was prepared, Belk was located and taken to Law Enforcement Headquarters before being transferred to the Shawnee County Jail on January 4, 2024.

Belk will remain in custody pending a hearing at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on $1 million bail.

Both the Topeka Police Department and the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter.

Related Posts