Police: Men with Guns Charged with Armed Robbery

Four men are behind bars after police say two of them robbed another man at gunpoint and the two others were had drugs at their house.

The alleged incident shut down the intersection of Spring and Memorial for a couple of hours while Racine police searched for two men reported to dispatch as being armed and running through the neighborhood.

Bernell Crowell, 20, and Isaac Cotton, 28, both of Racine, are accused of arranging a gun sale with a man they instead held at gunpoint in order to steal the cash he had for the buy as well as his iPhone and cigarettes. After handing over the items the defendants demanded, the man fled and later saw Crowell and Cotton jump a fence and run north on Memorial Drive, according to their criminal complaints.

After investigators located Cotton, they say he admitted to his role in the robbery and pointed police to a residence in the 1600 block of West Street where he and Crowell ran after committing the robbery. A search warrant turned up clothing worn during the robbery and the gun Bernell Crowell used during the crime. Police also came across Shinda Crowell and Michael Ajayi with Bernell Crowell in a bedroom where a significant amount of marijuana – around 40 grams – and various pieces of drug paraphernalia were on a dresser.

Officers were also directed to a home on Oakes Road in Mount Pleasant where Cotton showed them where additional clothing items and a handgun were located, the complaint reads.

Ajayi was charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, party to a crime and maintaining a drug trafficking place, party to a crime. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in jail and/or up to $20,000 in fines.

Cotton is facing felony charges of armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a felon, and bail jumping, use of a dangerous weapon. If convicted, he faces up to 62 years in jail and/or up to $145,000 in fines.

Bernell Crowell is facing felony charges of armed robbery, repeater; possession of a firearm by a felon, party to a crime; possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver; and maintaining a drug trafficking place. If convicted, he faces up to 57 years in jail and/or up to $145,000 in fines.

Shinda Crowell is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, party to a crime and maintaining a drug trafficking place, party to a crime. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in jail and/or up to $20,000 in fines.

All three defendants had their initial appearances Monday and will have their preliminary hearings Aug. 7. Cotton and Bernell Crowell were assigned $50,000 cash bonds. Shinda Crowell was given a $10,000 cash bond, and Ajayi was given a $20,000 cash bond.