Caught on Camera: Soda Tampering Case Shocks Wisconsin

On a quiet March morning inside the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exhibition Center, a suspicious soda set off a chain of events leading to surveillance and an arrest drawing national attention.

A Coworker's Hunch Sparks a Hidden Camera Setup

According to the criminal complaint obtained from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, the events began weeks before the arrest. A woman, identified in court documents only as JH, reported to police that her drinks had tasted and smelled strange for about two to three weeks. After feeling ill several times, she started suspecting someone might be tampering with her beverages.

Concerned and seeking answers, she hid a surveillance camera beneath her computer monitor at her shared workspace inside the exhibition center. What she discovered was shocking.

Surveillance Shows Strange Situation

The footage allegedly showed Joseph Ross, a coworker who shared the office space, entering JH's work area on March 20.

According to the complaint, he was seen wearing latex gloves and holding a small brown-orange tube with a white nozzle. The video reportedly captured Ross squeezing a substance from the tube into the top of a soda can before walking away.

Later that afternoon, JH brought her findings to officers patrolling the fairgrounds. An investigation quickly began.

During an interview with police that same day, Ross allegedly admitted to putting what he described as a "supplement" into the woman's soda, according to FOX 6. But when investigators searched his office, what they found told a different story: wadded-up gloves concealing both a blue plastic cap and a bottle of super glue.

Ross was arrested and taken to the Milwaukee County Criminal Justice Facility. He now faces one felony count of placing foreign objects in edibles, according to WTMJ.

What Happens Now?

While Ross' motive remains unclear, the charge is serious. If convicted, Ross could face up to three-and-a-half years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 — the maximum penalty for this Class I felony under Wisconsin law.

In a statement to PEOPLE, State Fair Park officials said, "While this incident did not happen between State Fair Park employees and did not involve any patrons, we want to reiterate that safety is top priority at State Fair Park, and we take these matters very seriously."

For many, this story serves as a strange reminder of how even the most mundane workplace routines — like grabbing a can of soda — can turn unsettling when trust between coworkers breaks down.

References: Man Accused of Putting Gorilla Super Glue in Coworker's Soda Drink at Wisconsin State Fair Park | Milwaukee man charged with allegedly putting super glue in coworker's drink | Superglue in soda; man accused of placing drops in co-worker's drink