KCK man, 28, pleads to role in robbery of KU student

By GEORGE DIEPENBROCK, The Lawrence Journal-World

A 28-year-old Kansas City, Kan., man pleaded no contest Friday to a conspiracy charge for his role in a 2010 robbery of a Kansas University student in Oread neighborhood.

Raymond C. Morgan entered the plea Friday afternoon, and prosecutors agreed to drop aggravated robbery and felon in possession of a firearm charges against Morgan. Two other Kansas City, Kan., co-defendants have also entered pleas for incidents related to the December 2010 robbery.

Eve Kemple, an assistant district attorney, said prosecutors had evidence the three were at a party before the robbery and discussed ways to obtain money.

In an October preliminary hearing, Ashley C. Johnson, who has received probation in the case, testified Morgan was with her in the car while Howard used a gun to rob a 21-year-old male KU student who was walking in an alley near the 300 block of West 12th Street.

Morgan’s defense attorney Jason Billam said Howard is expected to face a 27-month prison sentence. Attorneys said Morgan was on probation for a Wyandotte County case at the time of the robbery, so he’s expected to be sentenced to additional prison time on top of the Lawrence case.

Morgan is scheduled to be sentenced June 7.

He has also not yet sentenced Howard, 21, who entered a plea to one count of robbery and faces a 10-year prison sentence.