Cem Basoflas, 20, originally from Turkey, is attending KU on a student visa, where he is majoring in physics. Police originally arrested Basoflas on charges of criminal sodomy and animal cruelty after police questioned him about a dead dog, but prosecutors have so far only charged him with animal cruelty.
Prosecutors have released few details, saying that more charges are likely in the case that has left his neighbors in shock.
"Why would you birng animals here if you don't even want them," said Sabrina Long, who with her boyfriend Brett Affolter, walks their dogs every day and said it was odd that they never noticed Basoflas walking his dog.
Maintenance workers at the suspect's apartment complex called police after noticing blood stains while working to unclog a drain in his apartment.
At a hearing on Friday, prosecutors reminded the judge that this was not the first time Basoflas has faced accusations of animal cruelty.
According to police, a cat was confiscated from Basoflas after he took it into a vet with numerous broken bones last August.
"I don't see how he got away with it the first time, how he still has an animal," said neighbor Brett Affolter. "That's just crazy."
As part of his $12,000 bond, Basoflas has been ordered to avoid contact with animals and to surrender his Turkish passport. In addition, the Humane Society of Lawrence says it plans to bill Basoflas nearly $7,000 in medical bills for saving his cat, which is being cared by a local vet as evidence in his upcoming trial.
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