A Fort Wayne man faces formal charges in connection with a November tobacco-store robbery, according to Allen Superior Court records filed Tuesday.

Torrie Essex, 30, who is homeless, faces charges of robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. He was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.

Police say Essex robbed Low Bob’s Discount Tobacco, 4601 Lafayette St., on Nov. 14. According to documents, Essex pointed a semi-automatic handgun at an employee and demanded money. He fled with close to $500 and a carton of cigarettes.

Police said they believe two men are responsible for the robbery. No one else has been charged yet in the crime.

Two face charges of theft from work

Two men face formal charges in connection with company theft, according to Allen Superior Court records.

Patrick Johnson, 50, of Grabill, was charged Tuesday with theft and fraud. Patrick Salwolke, 60, of Leesburg, is charged with conspiracy to commit theft and receiving stolen property.

According to documents, both men are accused of stealing more than $130,000 in inventory, tools, equipment and materials belonging to their then-employer – Empire Refractory Sales Inc., 3525 Metro Drive.

Both men resigned from their jobs at the company in March 2006 – the same month the theft was committed, police said.

Pair accused of credit-union fraud

Two men face formal charges after police said they committed fraud on two local credit unions, according to Allen Superior Court records.

William O’Hern, 39, of the 4500 block of Winterfield Run; and David Lister, 33, of Huntington; face two counts each of fraud on a financial institution.

Police said O’Hern and Lister, both then-employees of Bradford-Scott Data Corp. – which maintains credit-union finance software – schemed to embezzle from Eastern Indiana Federal Credit Union and Industrial Centre Federal Credit Union.

Lister admitted the two had taken more than $20,000, police said.

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