Man Caught Spiking Co-Worker’s Coke with Super GluE
Still image from surveillance video shows Ross tainting the Coke. Via Wisconsin Circuit Court
Joseph R. Ross makes court appearance. Via TMJ4
A Milwaukee man is facing a felony charge after police say he was caught on surveillance video putting super glue into a coworker’s drink at the Wisconsin state fairgrounds earlier this month.
Joseph R. Ross, 34, was arrested last week and charged with placing foreign objects in edibles, a felony under Wisconsin law.
The incident reportedly took place on the morning of March 20, 2025, in an office shared by Ross and the victim, a woman identified in court records only as “JH.”
According to the criminal complaint, JH contacted officers with the Wisconsin State Fair Park Police at about 11 a.m. that day and asked to speak with them privately. She told investigators that in the weeks prior, she had noticed a strong chemical smell and taste in beverages on her desk. She said she became ill after drinking them and had not given anyone permission to place anything in her drinks.
That same morning, she set up a surveillance camera at her desk to monitor the area. Around 9:52 a.m., the camera allegedly recorded Ross placing a liquid substance into her open can of Coca-Cola. Police said Ross was wearing clear latex gloves during the act and discarded them afterward.
Read More > Wisconsin coverage
JH shared the video with officers. Still images from the footage were later included in the criminal complaint and appeared to show Ross holding a small tube and leaning over the can of soda. In an interview with officers, he allegedly admitted to placing a “supplement” in the drink. Investigators described the statement as an apparent attempt to downplay the substance while acknowledging the act.
The gloves Ross is alleged to have used in the super glue incident. Via Wisconsin Circuit Court
Police executed a search warrant at Ross’s office and recovered a pair of gloves wadded into a ball. When opened, one glove reportedly contained a blue plastic cap and the other held a container of Gorilla Brand Super Glue. The glue’s warning label read, “Keep out of the reach of children,” and police noted it was harmful if ingested.
The contaminated soda can was collected as evidence and sent to the Wisconsin Crime Lab for testing. As of publication, authorities have not released the test results or stated whether a motive has been identified.
Ross remains in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail on $10,000 bond. A judge ordered that he have no contact with the victim if released and he’s scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 3.
Officials said both Ross and the victim were employed by a vendor operating at the fairgrounds, not by the State Fair Park directly. A State Fair spokesperson confirmed the park’s police department handled the investigation and has issued Ross a “No Trespass Order.”
> See more of our latest coverage
