Pharmacist struck in robbery attempt

A man is accused of being one of two armed robbers who pistol-whipped a CVS pharmacist in Cleveland in an attempt to steal prescription drugs.

Leslie Evans Jr., 19, is charged with aggravated robbery and felonious assault in an Oct. 4 incident at a convenience store on Kinsman Avenue and East 108th Street, according to court records.

He is not in police custody but a warrant was issued Wednesday for his arrest.

Evans appeared in court Tuesday in a separate case where he is accused of possessing a weapon under disability, carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence. But he was released from custody after he pleaded not guilty and posted a $3,500 bond, court records show.

In the CVS incident, Evans and another man, who has not yet been identified, walked into the store about 8 p.m. with guns drawn, police reports say.

Several employees scattered, including one who ran out of the building and another who locked herself in a bathroom, according to police.

The duo walked up to the pharmacist and demanded he open a safe that contains prescription drugs.

The pharmacist explained that the safe is on a timer and could not be immediately opened.

One of the robbers pistol-whipped the pharmacist several times in the face, then stole his wallet and cellphone. during a traffic stop Wednesday evening.

Justin W. Rockwell, 29, of the 600 block of North 17th Street in Sebring, and Eric S. Harsh, 45, of Diamond, Ohio, were arrested at 5:20 p.m. in the 200 block of West Market Street by Alliance police, Stark County Jail records show.

Police seized the 33 grams of meth — a little over an ounce — that Rockwell had in his underwear and was “intended for sale,” according to the jail records. They also seized a small cellophane wrapper containing meth, the scale and the glass pipe from Harsh.

Harsh was wanted on a Portage County warrant charging him with failure to appear in court for a hearing on a charge of felony non-support.

He was jailed on that warrant and on charges of aggravated drug possession, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal tools possession.

Rockwell was jailed on felony charges of aggravated drug trafficking and aggravated drug possession. Stark County court records show Rockwell went to prison in 2016 and 2017 for two counts each of aggravated drug trafficking, and in 2016 for aggravated drug possession.

He also went to prison in 2014 for illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of illegal drugs.