Chris E. Spencer

Jamal D. Pellis

One of two Lawrence men arrested after an armed robbery last month returned to Douglas County District Court on Wednesday and now faces an additional charge of aggravated burglary following testimony from one of the two alleged victims.

Chris E. Spencer, 23, appeared in court for a preliminary hearing. In addition to the new charge, he is also being charged with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping stemming from a Jan. 12 armed robbery at an apartment in the 3100 block of Ousdahl Road.

Nicole Jarrow, one of the two alleged victims, testified in court on Wednesday that Spencer and Jamal D. Pellis, 19, were welcomed into an apartment she shared with her boyfriend after Pellis said he had left his cellphone there during a birthday party held for Jarrow the previous night. Eventually, Jarrow testified, Pellis pulled out a handgun and held it to her back.

“This is a stickup,” she said he told her. “This is how it’s going to go down.”

Jarrow testified that wallets belonging to both her and her boyfriend were taken in addition to a small amount of marijuana. Jarrow also said Spencer looked surprised when Pellis first pulled out the gun, which was later found to be a BB gun. But, Jarrow said, Spencer complied with Pellis’ request to take a wallet and marijuana and that Pellis took another wallet before fleeing.

Police arrested both Spencer and Pellis about a half hour after the incident, and both men are still in jail on $25,000 bonds. Also on Wednesday, Pellis waived his preliminary hearing and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A jury trial is now set for April 14.

District Judge Michael Malone found enough evidence presented to bind Spencer over for arraignment on March 7. Malone said that the state produced enough evidence to charge Spencer for his role in aiding and abetting Pellis.