DIXON – One of two Kankakee men suspected in the armed robberies of two local U.S. Cellular store 3 weeks ago turned himself in at the Dixon Police Department on Tuesday, according to a news release sent Thursday.

Anthony K. Jamerson, 23, is charged with armed robbery, which carries 6 to 30 years in prison; conspiracy to commit armed robbery and aggravated robbery, both of which carry 4 to 15 years; conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, which carries 3 to 7 years; and unlawful restraint, which carries 1 to 3 years. He’s being held on $500,000 bond.

Police Chief Danny Langloss confirmed the other suspect is still at large, and that his department is pursuing leads with Kankakee police.

Three other Kankakee men, David M. Kendrick, 23, Eddie D. Clark, 20, and Michael Lane-Calhoun, 24, were arrested Nov. 22. Kendrick is charged with armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and unlawful restraint.

Clark and Lane-Calhoun are charged with armed robbery, aggravated robbery and unlawful restraint.

Langloss said the arrests brought to light several similar robberies in northern Illinois, many of which have since been solved.

Police are working closely with the FBI and Rock Falls and other police departments in the ongoing investigation. The FBI has been involved in solving similar robberies involving other organized rings of thieves, and federal charges could be levied in this case at some point down the road.

Next Generation Wireless, a U.S. Cellular agent at 1021 First Ave. in Rock Falls, was robbed shortly before 8 p.m. Nov. 8; the U.S. Cellular store at 166 Keul Road in Dixon was hit around 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10.

Both involved three black men with handguns, all of whom wore masks. Both times, they tied up employees, took cash and merchandise and fled in a dark gray car. Both robberies took less than 10 minutes. In the Dixon robbery, two men remained outside the store as lookouts, Langloss said.

Several similar robberies have happened in Rockford recently. With few variations, they were committed by two or three armed black men in their 20s – their faces masked with bandanas or otherwise hidden – who entered a store, moved employees and customers to a back room, made them open a safe, tied them up, grabbed money and electronics, and fled in about 10 minutes or less, often in a gray sedan. Physical injuries inflicted, if any, were minor.