Third man arrested in armed robberies where one suspect reportedly wore scary mask

photo by: Journal-World File Photo

A Lawrence police car sits outside a crime scene in this file photo from 2009.

A third man charged with aggravated robbery and other crimes from a February home-invasion spree is now in custody at the Douglas County Jail.

One of the suspects reportedly robbed people in two apartments while wearing a creepy, smiling mask like one from the horror movie “The Purge,” police said after the incidents. The home-invasion robberies happened about 20 minutes apart.

Justice L. Dent, 20, of Lawrence was arrested Tuesday afternoon and brought to Lawrence from the Saline County jail, according to jail records.

His bond was set at $125,000, though he had not yet appeared in court on the charges Wednesday morning, according to court records.

According to the complaint filed in Douglas County District Court, Dent is charged with three counts of aggravated robbery while armed with a gun and two counts of aggravated burglary, all felonies. He’s also charged with two counts of theft, misdemeanors.

The crimes occurred Feb. 20 at two locations, the 2000 block of West Sixth Street and the 3100 block of Ousdahl Road, according to the complaint. Prosecutors alleged that Dent stole music production equipment from the people in one home, and cellphones, an Xbox controller, an inhaler and coins from people in the other.

Two Georgia men also have been arrested in connection with the same crimes.

True J. Shipley, 20, of Covington, Ga., was arrested in May and had been scheduled to enter a plea in his case Wednesday, but the plea hearing was pushed back until Feb. 4. Shipley posted $125,000 bond in July and remains free on bond, with GPS monitoring, according to court records.

Corey T. Allen, 30, of McDonough, Ga., made his first appearance in court on Monday, after being booked into the jail Friday. He’s being held on $125,000 bond.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has denied the Journal-World’s requests for mugshots of Dent, Shipley and Allen.

Contact Journal-World public safety reporter Sara Shepherd

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