VISTA, Calif. -- One of two Camp Pendleton-based servicemen accused in a series of robberies of Oceanside liquor stores, which ended when one of the men was shot by a clerk last weekend, pleaded not guilty Thursday to eight felony charges.

Navy Corpsman Quintel Antonio Brooks and his 20-year-old injured alleged partner, McKenzie Smith, are charged in connection with a robbery series that began May 26 and netted about $16,000 in cash plus assorted items such as prepaid phone cards, said Deputy District Attorney Bryn Kirvin.

The bandits wore masks and aimed BB guns at store clerks, the prosecutor said.

Brooks, 19, is charged with seven counts of robbery and one count of assault with a deadly weapon stemming from four holdups.

Judge Adrienne Orfield raised his bail from $100,000 to $500,000 at the request of the prosecutor.

Smith -- who remains hospitalized -- has been charged with 17 counts: 11 counts of robbery, four counts of attempted robbery and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, Kirvin said.

It's believed that Smith, either by himself or with Brooks, held up nine stores, Kirvin said.

"It's very traumatizing to the victims and needs to be taken seriously," the prosecutor said.

Kirvin alleged Smith began robbing Chaldean-owned liquor stores in Oceanside late last month, and that Brooks joined him for a number of armed holdups on June 10.

The clerks at the North Redondo Drive liquor store where Smith was shot with his own pistol last Saturday night said they thought he had someone with him, but Brooks is not charged in that holdup, the prosecutor said.

Brooks, who has roots in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and Smith, a Marine lance corporal also based at Camp Pendleton, served in the same unit and were scheduled to deploy to Iraq in November, the prosecutor said.

She alleged Brooks was primarily a lookout who would hold a gun on store employees and customers while Smith grabbed money from the cash register.

The judge set a July 10 readiness conference for Brooks.

Arraignment for Smith -- who suffered multiple gunshot wounds and is still heavily medicated -- could be Friday or at a later date, officials said.