Quest for Cocaine Results in Joy Riding, Theft Charges

An addiction to crack cocaine is likely what led to charges for identity theft, using a vehicle without his girlfriend's consent (joyriding) and bail jumping for a 31-year-old man from Menomonee Falls. However, he was more than helpful in leading police to drugs that his girlfriend also had in her apartment.

On Saturday at roughly 5 a.m., Melissa Laumann called the Muskego Police Department to report that her boyfriend Joseph Benton had stolen her vehicle from her home on Janesville Road. She admitted to police that they had twice used the van that day to buy cocaine for Benton. However, she awoke early Saturday to find her keys — and Benton — gone.  

Two hours later, she called police back to report Benton had returned the van, but had taken two $5 bills, and also charged $20 to her credit card, according to a criminal complaint filed with Waukesha County Circuit Court.

Benton — who also goes by the name Joseph Grassold — admitted to taking the vehicle, the report states. He told police he had smoked “copious amounts of crack cocaine” over the past 24 hours and knew his girlfriend wouldn’t let him take her van. He decided to take it regardless.

Though the report states Benton admitted to stealing the van, he did not admit to taking the two $5 bills. However, police found two $5 bills in his possession.

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Benton told Muskego Police during interviews that Laumann also had drugs in her apartment, and a subsequent search found "a small bag of marijuana and an approximately 3 inch long, blue and orange striped glass pipe," according to police reports.

Laumann was cited for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Muskego Municipal Court.

Benton was charged Monday with one count of identity theft, one count of operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, and one count of bail jumping. If prosecuted to the full extent, he could spend over 7 years in jail and be charged $30,000.

Benton was charged in Oct. 2012 with driving a vehicle without owner consent, and theft of movable property worth more than $2,500. A condition of his bail was not to commit any new crimes or possess drugs or alcohol.