18-year-old Lawrence man convicted in armed robbery at Tennessee Street apartment

A Douglas County jury on Friday convicted an 18-year-old Lawrence man of five charges in connection with a June robbery of a Kansas University student in Oread Neighborhood.

Jurors deliberated for about two hours before finding Jermel Fleming guilty of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and theft.

Mark Simpson and James McCabria, both assistant district attorneys, accused Fleming of planning to commit a robbery at an apartment in the 900 block of Tennessee. They said Fleming wore a red mask over his face and took a sawed-off shotgun into the apartment with four other men before demanding money and drugs from the victim. The men took electronics and a small amount of marijuana.

Prosecutors said Fleming orchestrated the robbery because he had an associate ask the victim if he could buy marijuana from him. Other co-defendants in the case have either entered pleas or received immunity.

Defense attorney Branden Smith told jurors that witnesses had credibility problems and that they initially said only four men committed the robbery but changed their story later to add Fleming as a suspect.

At least two of the charges carry a maximum 20-year prison sentences. District Judge Sally Pokorny will sentence Fleming Feb. 7. He is free on $75,000 bond until that hearing.