Man charged with restaurant robberies in Lawrence, plus five others in Topeka

A Topeka man is accused of robbing seven businesses, including two in Lawrence.

On Wednesday 13 criminal charges were filed against Joshua Alexander Musgraves in federal court.

In Lawrence, Musgraves, 24, is accused of robbing a Subway restaurant at 1601 W. 23rd St. on April 3 and Wing Stop, 2233 Louisiana St., on April 4, the indictment indicates.

After the reported Subway robbery, Lawrence Police Sgt. Amy Rhoads said one man — now identified as Musgraves — entered the business wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt. Inside the business, Musgraves reportedly brandished a handgun and demanded cash, then fled the scene on foot with an “undisclosed amount of cash.”

A man inside the Subway during the reported robbery gave chase and shots were fired outside the restaurant, Rhoads said.

The reported Wing Stop robbery was similar.

There, another suspect entered, wearing a gray hoodie and dark pants, brandished a handgun and demanded money, the Lawrence Police Department said in another news release.

Alongside the Lawrence robberies, Musgraves is accused of robbing a Plato’s Closet, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, McDonald’s and Denison State Bank, all in Topeka, the indictment says.

The robberies spanned from Dec. 10, 2016, to April 4, 2017, the indictment says.

Musgraves is also accused of a carjacking in Topeka.

Now, Musgraves faces six felony counts of robbery, four felony counts of brandishing a firearm, one felony count of brandishing a weapon, one felony count of bank robbery and one felony count of carjacking, the indictment says.

If he is convicted of all 13 charges, Musgraves could face more than 50 years in prison and more than a million dollars in fines.