Inset: Joseph R. Ross (Milwaukee County Jail). Background: A screenshot of Ross allegedly tampering with his co-worker’s Coke by adding super glue (Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office).
A 35-year-old man has pleaded guilty to putting super glue in the soda of one of his co-workers at the Wisconsin State Fair.
Joseph R. Ross admitted guilt on Tuesday to a felony charge of introducing foreign substances into food or drink, according to court documents. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 9.
As previously detailed by Law&Crime, Ross was arrested in March. A probable cause affidavit notes that around 11 a.m. on March 20, officers from the Wisconsin State Fair Park Police were on foot patrol in Milwaukee when an individual identified as “JH” approached them requesting a private discussion.
“During the private discussion, JH informed the Officers that about 2 to 3 weeks prior, JH suspected her desk beverages were contaminated by a chemical substance,” the affidavit mentions. “JH noticed the contamination due to the strong chemical odor and taste. After consuming the beverages, she experienced illness. Furthermore, JH did not authorize anyone to add substances to her drink.”
Due to those events, JH said she set up a surveillance camera at her desk earlier that morning to see if anyone was putting something in her drink.
“At about 9:52 a.m., JH’s camera recorded her colleague, with whom she shares an office, Joseph R. Ross, subsequently referred to as the Defendant, inserting a foreign substance into JH’s soda,” police reported. “JH provided the video evidence to the Officers.”
The video depicted Ross using a brown and orange tube with a white nozzle to introduce a “liquid substance” into JH’s open can of Coke on her desk. According to police, Ross was seen wearing clear latex gloves on both hands, which he later removed after allegedly tampering with the soda.
In an interview with authorities, Ross admitted to “placing a supplement” in his co-worker’s drink. Officers then executed a search warrant on Ross’ office and the surrounding area. During the search, they reportedly recovered a “set of clear protective gloves” that were wadded into a ball.
“When the Officers unraveled the gloves, the Officers found that each contained an item,” police wrote. “One glove contained a blue plastic cap. The other glove contained a super glue container.”
Police said the recovered container was “Gorilla Brand Super Glue,” which they noted had a warning on the label that read, “Keep out of the reach of children” due to the harm of ingestion.
JH’s can of Coke was then collected and sent to the Wisconsin Crime Lab for testing.
Ross is facing a maximum penalty of 3 1/2 years in a state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
