The three men who were arrested Saturday for allegedly participating in a host of armed robberies in Lansing, East Lansing and Delhi Township were arraigned Monday in East Lansing's 54-B District Court.
Gregory Deon Cole, 18, Tony Lamar Morgan, 22, and Cyrus Ray Beamon, 17, face five counts of felony armed robbery and one count of criminal enterprise.
The men could be sentenced to life in prison for the armed robberies and 20 years in prison for criminal enterprise. Beamon, who said he is a habitual offender for stealing, faces 30 years for the criminal enterprise charge.
Police said the robberies began when Cole and Beamon assaulted a male victim for his wallet Friday evening, which was followed by the armed robbery of a woman Saturday, outside of Darb's Crystal Bar, 4279 W. Holt Road in Delhi Township.
The men later confronted another woman at 12:34 a.m. on Hardy Street in Lansing and later pistol whipped a man on Woodbrook Street in East Lansing, said East Lansing police Det. Dan Dekorte said.
By 1:58 a.m. Saturday, Dekorte said Cole and Beamon robbed the Marriott Residence Inn, 1600 E. Grand River Ave., at gunpoint and another man inside the hotel.
Security video in the Marriott shows Beamon assaulted the hotel clerk, although the clerk cooperated with the men, Dekorte said.
Cole, Beamon and Morgan were arrested at 2:05 p.m. by MSU police for a traffic violation on Division Street. Police found stolen wallets, property of victims and handguns inside the vehicle, East Lansing police Lt. Kevin Daley said.
Both Cole and Beamon were denied bond, but Morgan was granted a $5,000 cash bond. His cooperation with detectives and lack of involvement in the robberies allowed him to receive bond, Dekorte said.
"He's getting more respect in the whole thing because he's getting a bond and everything," Cole said after Morgan was granted bond.
Police believe Morgan was taken advantage of by Cole and Beamon, Dekorte said. Morgan did not have a prior criminal record.
"I know my son," said Yvette Morgan, Tony's mother. "I know he didn't know the extent of it. He's never been in trouble, he just got caught with the wrong guys."
Yvette Morgan said she's praying for a miracle, especially after the way Cole and Beamon looked at Morgan after he received bond.
"They just seem like a group of kids that got out of hand," said Mike Todd, the Morgan family's minister. "They're young. They didn't even have command of the English language. Society has failed them."
When Cole, Beamon and Morgan were addressed by the judge, they gave short or muffled responses.
The attempted carjacking that occurred on campus Friday evening was originally thought to be linked to the armed robberies, however police believe there isn't a connection, Daley said.
All three men are scheduled to reappear in court for pretrials at 8:30 a.m. July 3 in East Lansing's 54-B District Court, under Judge David Jordan.
Ashley A. Smith can be reached at smithas7@msu.edu
