Robbery suspect insists he didn't commit rapes

Jermmie Carlisle did not like what was being said about him Monday morning in a Lake County courtroom, and he said as much.

A prosecutor responded by saying that any question Carlisle has about his words could be backed up by pictures.

Carlisle, 21, of North Chicago, is one of four people charged with various degrees of involvement in a string of eight armed robberies that took place in Lake County beginning in December.

Carlisle, Alonzo Amos, Ashley Robinson and Jacob Burnett were all ordered held on high bonds after court appearances before Associate Judge Daniel Shanes.

Assistant State's Attorney Stephen Scheller said Carlisle distinguished himself among the accused robbers by sexually molesting a young girl at one incident and raping two other women at other incidents.

Carlisle, who has no previous convictions for serious crime, was arrested with Amos, 22, and Robinson, 22, both of Waukegan, on Friday night at the scene of an armed robbery at a pizzeria in Waukegan.

During the course of interviews with police over the weekend, the members of the group admitted their complicity in seven other incidents where retail establishments were robbed, authorities said.

Police say Carlisle also admitted molesting a 14-year-old girl Friday night at the Waukegan Papa John's restaurant that he, Amos and Robinson were attempting to rob.

Waukegan police broke up that robbery and arrested all three at the scene, Scheller said, and Burnett, 24, of Waukegan, was identified over the weekend.

Police also say Carlisle admitted raping female employees at gunpoint at a Subway restaurant in Gurnee during a Jan. 23 robbery and again at a Feb. 5 incident at a Radio Shack in Waukegan.

During a court hearing Monday, Carlisle insisted he had not forced anyone to have sex with him.

"It is on videotape, Judge," Scheller responded. "I will show him the tape this morning if he wants to see it."

Carlisle, coached by his attorney Jed Stone of Waukegan, did not speak for the remainder of the hearing.

Police contend Carlisle also was an active participant in incidents Jan. 14 at the Game Stop and a Jan. 31 robbery of a Burger King in Gurnee.

Amos and Robinson are charged in all of those incidents as well as a Dec. 13 robbery of the Arby's in Waukegan and March 2 robberies of a Game Stop in Round Lake Beach and a Wendy's in Zion.

Burnett is charged with assisting Amos and Robinson in the Arby's robbery.

Scheller said the men are accused of entering the target businesses during each robbery and collecting the cash and merchandise, while Robinson is believed to have driven them to and from each incident.

Some $20,000 in computers, cell phones and other merchandise was taken from the Radio Shack, he said, and more than $6,000 in merchandise was stolen from the Game Stop in Waukegan.

Much of that merchandise was recovered from a search of the Waukegan apartment Amos and Robinson share, he said.

Cash ranging from $27,000 at the Burger King in Gurnee to a few hundred dollars was also taken, Scheller said.

Amos, Robinson and Burnett are all charged with armed robbery, Scheller said, while Carlisle faces that charge as well as charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and aggravated criminal sexual assault.

Penalties range from up to 30 years in prison for each armed robbery for Amos, Robinson and Burnett to "hundreds of years, possibly life," for Carlisle, Scheller said.

Shanes ordered Amos and Carlisle held on $2 million bonds and set bond at $1 million for Robinson and $500,000 for Burnett.

All four are scheduled to appear in court again April 24.