MANHATTAN – A Kansas man appeared in Riley County Court on Tuesday for a preliminary hearing in connection with the September 4, aggravated robberies near the KSU campus.

Detectives with the Riley County Police Department arrested Johnathon Elliott, 20, Manhattan, on September 11.

Elliott was booked for two counts of Aggravated Robbery, Contributing to a Child’s Misconduct and theft. He was held on a $130,000 bond.

Three other suspects, Carson Buckley, Janir Vega and Sean Johnson, were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the robberies.

According to testimony by RCPD Detective Brian Johnson, Elliott admitted to police that he agreed to drive the other three around in order to commit random robberies.

During the hearing, Ransom Gardiner testified being approached from an alleyway after walking home from Aggieville in the early morning hours of September 4.

Gardiner said a man ran up to him with what looked like a black semi-automatic handgun.

The man, who Gardiner said he only saw for a split second, had him get on the ground where he took his phone and wallet at gunpoint.

Gardiner noted that he could not recognize the man who robbed him, but did see a second man in the alleyway talking with the robber.

Cody Kohler and Nathan Becker also testified about being robbed during the preliminary hearing.

Walking into their back yard after coming home from Aggieville they saw two African American men, one acting sick. The second stranger asked them for a glass of water, and after they came back out from the house with the glass they were held up at gunpoint.

A third individual, whom Detective Brian Johnson testified was Elliott, came around from the side of the house and participated in the hold up.

Judge Malcolm held Elliott over for arraignment following the hearing, which will be held on December 14 at 9 a.m. with Judge Stutzman.

A motion to reduce bond or allow work release was denied.