Everyone deserves to feel safe at work — but for one woman in Milwaukee, that basic right was shattered in a truly disturbing way.
The woman, referred to as JH in a criminal complaint, began noticing something strange about her soda, which she drank while working.
Confirmed her worst fears
Over a period of two to three weeks, the woman was put off by a strong chemical odor and taste coming from her drinks. She grew suspicious — especially when she began feeling sick after drinking them.
Concerned her drinks were being tampered with, JH decided to take matters into her own hands. She discreetly installed a hidden camera under her computer monitor at her desk to catch any unusual activity while she was away.
What she saw confirmed her worst fears.
According to documents obtained by Fox 6, the footage allegedly captured her coworker, 34-year-old Joseph Ross, holding “a small bottle/tube-type dispenser, with a white nozzle. The dispenser appears to be brown/orange in color,” the affidavit states.
On March 20, 2025, JH approached officers on routine patrol at the Wisconsin State Fair Park and reported what she had uncovered.
Found latex gloves
According to Fox 6, JH told the officers that ”approximately 2 to 3 weeks ago, (she) suspected that her beverages on her desk had been contaminated by a chemical substance. (The woman) was made aware of the contamination, due to the strong chemical smell and taste,” the complaint says.
Investigators quickly launched a probe. During a search of Ross’ workspace, police reportedly found latex gloves ”wadded into a ball” and a bottle of Gorilla brand super glue.
Ross was arrested and charged with inserting foreign substances into consumables. Surveillance footage reportedly shows him squeezing super glue into JH’s Coke cans while at work.
The defendant reportedly admitted to placing a supplement into (the woman’s) soft drink. His bail was set at $10,000, and if found guilty, he could face up to 38 months in prison and a fine of $10,000, according to TMJ4.
The motive behind Ross’ alleged actions is still unknown.
Pleaded not guilty
Ross made his first court appearance on March 26 and has since been issued a No Trespass Order by Wisconsin State Fair Park police.
During his virtual court appearance, Commissioner Andrea Bolender didn’t hold back, saying: “This is extremely alarming and definitely has elements of a lot of violence.”
Legal expert Craig Mastantuono also weighed in on the rarity of such cases:
“Unusual… Charges for placing foreign objects in edibles are rare, as authorities seldom catch someone in the act.”
Later, on April 3, Ross appeared in court again and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While the incident occurred on State Fair Park grounds, officials clarified that neither Ross nor the victim were employed by the park directly. Instead, they worked for a vendor.
A statement from the Wisconsin State Fair Park, shared by Daily Mail,read: “Since this incident occurred while at State Fair Park, our police department responded, conducted a thorough investigation, and submitted the report to the District Attorney.”
The case has left many stunned — and serves as a chilling reminder that sometimes, it’s the people closest to us at work we need to watch out for.