An assistant city attorney was taken into custody last month in connection with a misdemeanor criminal restraint count, according to jail records.
Shawnee County Jail records show that Mathew W. Mullen, 37, was booked into the jail at 1:30 p.m. on May 23. The booking was connected to a count of criminal restraint, which is classified as a misdemeanor.
Mullen was later released from custody at 5:30 p.m. on May 24 after a $10,000 bond was posted by a professional bondsman, according to Maj. Tim Phelps, deputy director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.
No Formal Charges Found In Available Records
Although Mullen was booked into jail, no record could be found showing that he had been formally charged with any crime related to the arrest.
An arrest or jail booking does not automatically mean that formal criminal charges have been filed. Prosecutors may review case details before deciding whether to file charges, decline charges, or seek additional information.
At this stage, publicly available information only confirms that Mullen was booked and later released on bond.
Employment With City Attorney’s Office
Mullen has worked for the Topeka city attorney’s office since April 2023, according to documents provided by the city government in response to a Kansas Open Records Act request.
Those records show that Mullen holds the position of senior attorney within the city attorney’s office.
The documents were provided free of charge on June 5 after a media request for public records related to Mullen’s employment.
City Declines To Provide Disciplinary Details
The city government did not answer a question about whether any disciplinary action had been taken against Mullen following the arrest.
Officials indicated that Kansas law allows the city to withhold that type of information. Personnel matters are often subject to privacy rules, and public agencies may limit what they disclose about internal employment actions.
As a result, it remains unclear whether Mullen faced any workplace discipline, administrative review, suspension, or other internal action related to the booking.
Criminal Restraint Count Explained
Criminal restraint generally refers to unlawfully restraining another person in a way that interferes with their freedom of movement. However, specific details about the allegation involving Mullen have not been released in the information provided.
Because no formal charging record was found, the full circumstances surrounding the arrest remain unclear.
Authorities have not publicly provided additional details about the incident that led to the booking, including where it happened, who was involved, or what evidence may have been reviewed.
Case Status Remains Unclear
The available records show that Mullen was booked, held for about a day, and released after bond was posted. However, the next steps in the matter remain uncertain.
If prosecutors decide to file charges, more details could become available through court records. If no charges are filed, the case may remain limited to the booking record and related law enforcement documentation.
Mathew W. Mullen, a senior attorney in the Topeka city attorney’s office, was booked into Shawnee County Jail on May 23 in connection with a misdemeanor criminal restraint count and released the next day after a $10,000 bond was posted.
No formal criminal charges related to the arrest were found in available records. The city has not disclosed whether any disciplinary action was taken, citing state law that allows certain personnel information to be withheld.