A man accused of taking two employees’ backpacks from a Saint Paul restaurant raised a metal bat at the workers when they confronted him, according to a criminal complaint.
Ometrious Kennith Walton Jr., 34, faces felony charges of first-degree aggravated robbery and fifth-degree drug possession. The complaint was filed Oct. 7 in Ramsey County District Court, and bail was set at $100,000.
According to the complaint, Saint Paul police were called at about 10:41 p.m. on Oct. 6 to a restaurant on West Seventh Street on a report of a robbery. An employee told officers his backpack was missing from the back of the building.
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He and a co-worker found Walton in the parking lot with that backpack and one belonging to another employee. When they confronted him, Walton raised a silver metal bat as if to hit them, and they backed away, the complaint says. They called police and followed him until officers arrived.
Officers found Walton in a nearby alley, arrested him and recovered both backpacks. A small amount of a substance found on him tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the complaint.
The aggravated robbery count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $35,000 fine or both, according to the complaint.
