LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
(Publisher’s Note: The following article contains references to sexual misconduct involving a minor and an authority figure. Reader discretion is advised.)
On March 18, 2025, the Kansas Police Department was contacted by a mother who reported that her daughter had been sexually assaulted multiple times by a former teacher. An investigation was immediately launched by the police department, leading to the arrest of 53-year-old social studies teacher Michael Lowery.
On Tuesday, April 1, Lowery appeared at the Edgar County Courthouse in the custody of the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department. He faces three Class 1 Felony charges for criminal sexual assault of a minor.
According to the proffer given in court by Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren McQueen, the defendant was previously the alleged victim's teacher at Kansas High School, where she “developed a relationship with him, and grew to confide in and depend on him.”
The school district removed the victim from the defendant's class and required the teacher not to have contact with her. The defendant then left Kansas High School and took a teaching position at another school.
“The victim's mother subsequently allowed the victim to begin communicating with the defendant on multiple dates in 2023; following that communication, the defendant visited the victim at her home in Kansas and engaged in multiple sexual acts, on multiple dates, including the sexual acts that are currently alleged,” McQueen said.
Judge Mark Isaf found probable cause in the matter shortly after hearing statements from McQueen and immediately addressed the state’s petition to deny pre-trial release.
“The biggest concerns are that this isn't simply an allegation of just touching, but actual penetration in various ways,” McQueen said. “There are further concerns that he is currently a teacher of additional students. Because of that, there is the very obvious threat that he poses to not only the current victim, but other students that he currently holds a position of authority over.”
The defendant was represented during his first appearance by Public Defender Nathanael Harsy.
“Since the time of these allegations in 2023, approximately two years have passed. There are no new allegations by the passage of literally two years in time,” Harsy said. “Mr. Lowery denies these allegations.”
“In review of the police report, I believe all of these allegations are alleged to have occurred in the alleged victim's home, where her parents knowingly invited Mr. Lowery to their house,” Harsy said. “Mr. Lowery was not out in the area or seeking out the alleged victim. He was literally invited into the home.”
Lowery currently holds a teaching position at Martinsville Junior and Senior High School, a position he has held since he resigned from Kansas High School in 2021. Harsy argued that the defendant should be released prior to a trial to return to his job.
“The school in Martinsville never requested a personnel file in regards to what his resignation involved,” Harsy said. “Now, at this point, with that school district having the option to do that and choosing not to do that, I don’t believe that Mr. Lowery should be punished based on allegations. I do believe it is worth noting that in 2023, these allegations were based on a time that Mr. Lowery was not a teacher at the alleged victim’s high school, but at Martinsville.”
McQueen argued against the public defender’s claims, stating that while the claims were from 2023, “A lot of the times in these cases, once one alleged victim comes out, we tend to see a lot more.”
“While I understand Mr. Harsy’s arguments about these being in 2023 and nothing since then, we just unfortunately don’t really know that. Even further, the nature of these offenses are very scary when they happen and they cannot go unseen,” McQueen said. “The nature of these offenses are terrifying.”
The judge took several minutes to deliberate and weigh the nature of the charges, the timeline of events, last date of contact between the alleged victim and Lowery’s residential history before he made a decision regarding pre-trial release. Isaf cited the nature of the charges, as well as the ease of potential access to students via electronics and internet communication, as the primary basis for his decision.
“Due to the predatory nature of the charges and the position of authority, even though the allegations involve off-campus activities, it poses a real and present threat to the safety of both a person and the community,” he said. “At this point and time, the court will find cause to deliver the defendant to the custody of the sheriff until trial. The defendant has a right to file a motion for release from the court’s order and the court will revisit the order of retention for the conditions of pre-trial release at each subsequent court appearance, regardless of whether a motion for release is filed.”
An order of protection was also filed against Lowery for the alleged victim and “any other minor.” The order will remain in place while Lowery is in custody and upon the occasion that he is granted any form of pre-trial release.
When the defendant was presented with the three charges by Judge Isaf, he was asked if he intended to hire private counsel. Lowery told the Judge that he “had not had time to do any research.”
“I literally just found out what the charges were against me,” Lowery said.
Despite his arrest, Lowery is still listed on the Martinsville Community Unity School District #C3’s website as a social studies teacher. Prairie Press staff requested a statement from Superintendent Robert Waggoner, but he was unavailable to comment.
The district did issue a letter to school families regarding the arrest on April 1 stating that “at this time, they do not believe any current or former Martinsville students or staff members are involved.”
Lowery will return to the courtroom at 2 p.m. on April 21.