HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury trial for one of the suspects in two home invasion cases from last year continues in District Court.
Nineteen-year-old Dakota Anderson is charged with aggravated kidnapping, two counts of aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated battery and two counts of aggravated burglary.
On the stand Wednesday were detectives who testified about the investigation that led to the arrest of the suspects.
Testimony also included the defendants girlfriend, Britney Lassick who told the jury about police finding items associated with the home invasions and robberies, including the war metals belonging to the first victim. When asked what the defendant told her about taking the veterans purple heart and gold and silver stars, she told the jury that Anderson told her that they were valuable.
The defendant apparently went to Oklahoma shortly after the crimes and she also testified to going to Oklahoma to pick him up and while on the way back allegedly admitted his involvement in the crimes.
She was pregnant with his child at the time and he told her he did the home invasions and robberies because it was the only way he knew of to support her
They also played a recording of a phone conversation while Anderson was in jail where he hinted that he might get corrections, but he then asked her what she told police and she said, “I just told them what you told me,” referring to the conversation they had on the way back from Oklahoma. He then said, “well, I’ll do a lot of time then.”
A co-defendant, Fredrick Lemons Jr. convicted for the second of the two invasions where a local man was beaten and robbed was convicted as charged. He now faces sentencing for aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated battery, criminal threat and two counts of criminal damage.
A third defendant, 19-year-old Jordan Leffel waived his right to a preliminary hearing faces a total of eight counts, while a juvenile, Brendan Jones had his charges heard in juvenile court.
The two home invasions occurring in the 3600 block of Rockwood Dr. and the other in the 3400 block of North Waldron, the first occurring on May 4 and the second on May 14.