A Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to contaminating his co-worker’s soda with Gorilla Super Glue in a bizarre and dangerous workplace crime.
Joseph R. Ross, 35, entered the plea Tuesday to one felony count of placing foreign objects in edibles, according to court records. His sentencing is set for October 9. He faces up to 3½ years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
The incident unfolded earlier this year at the Wisconsin State Fair Park in Milwaukee, where Ross and the victim — referred to in court documents as “JH” — shared an office.
According to the probable cause affidavit, JH had suspected for weeks that her desk beverages were being tampered with after noticing a strong chemical smell and taste. On multiple occasions, she said, consuming the drinks had made her ill.
On March 20, 2024, JH decided to take action. She set up a surveillance camera at her desk to catch the culprit in the act. Less than an hour later, the camera captured Ross approaching her workspace while she was away. Wearing clear latex gloves, Ross was seen holding a brown-and-orange tube with a white nozzle and squeezing a liquid substance into her open can of Coke.
JH immediately shared the footage with officers from the Wisconsin State Fair Park Police, who were on foot patrol nearby. Police confronted Ross and later conducted a search of his office and surrounding areas. They recovered the gloves he had worn, wadded into a ball. Inside the gloves, officers found a blue plastic cap and a container of Gorilla Brand Super Glue.
The product’s packaging contained a clear ingestion warning: “Keep out of the reach of children.” Authorities noted the significant potential for harm if swallowed.
During questioning, Ross initially claimed he had placed a “supplement” in the soda, but evidence quickly contradicted his explanation. The contaminated can of Coke was collected and sent to the Wisconsin Crime Lab for testing.
While details about a motive remain unclear, prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of Ross’s actions, noting that ingesting super glue can cause internal injuries, choking, and poisoning.
Ross’s guilty plea spares the victim from having to testify at trial, but the incident has raised concerns about workplace safety and the potential for malicious acts in shared environments.
The Wisconsin State Fair Park declined to comment on Ross’s employment status, but confirmed that security protocols have since been reviewed and reinforced.
Ross will learn his fate in October. Until then, he remains free on bond, awaiting a sentence that could send him to prison for years.
The case serves as a disturbing reminder of how personal disputes — or unexplained malice — can escalate into criminal acts, even in seemingly ordinary workplaces.
