Lawrence man charged, three juveniles arrested, in robbery of pedestrian at gunpoint

A 19-year-old Lawrence man has been charged with aggravated robbery and other offenses in connection with a reported mugging involving a handgun Thursday night.

Douglas County prosecutors charged Caleb Christopher Mar Sheridan on Friday with aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, unlawful defacing of identification on a firearm, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheridan was arrested during a traffic stop in the 2700 block of Iowa Street about 1:50 a.m. Friday morning, after a mugging involving a handgun was reported Thursday night, said Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence Police Department spokesman.

A 15-year-old male reported the robbery to police about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, and said he had been held up at gunpoint by two men while walking in the 1600 block of Rhode Island Street, McKinley said.

The victim told police that one of the men pointed a black handgun at him and demanded cash, which he surrendered. Both of the robbers were dressed in dark clothing, the victim reported, including hooded sweatshirts. One of them wore a blue bandana over his face.

When Sheridan was arrested about five hours later, officers seized a loaded handgun they believed was used in the robbery, as well as additional ammunition and marijuana. Three juveniles in the car with Sheridan have also been arrested in the case and booked into the juvenile detention center, McKinley said. Their names were not made public Friday because of their age.

Aggravated robbery can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, depending on a person’s criminal history. The conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery carries a maximum sentence of 136 months, and the defacing a firearm charge a sentence of 13 months.

Sheridan remained in Douglas County Jail Friday and appeared in Douglas County Court via video. Douglas County District Pro Tem Judge James George set bond at $75,000 after prosecutors gave evidence that Sheridan had a criminal record, as a juvenile, of three battery charges and an assault charge since 2004. Sheridan next appears in court March 14.