Man thinking he was meeting online date finds violent setup at Wisconsin farm, cops say

Mike Stunson
·1 min read

A man who believed he was meeting a woman he first communicated with online was stabbed and robbed Monday in Wisconsin, police say.

The incident happened in Calumet County, where the unsuspecting victim had driven about 100 miles to meet a woman, the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a news release. He had agreed to meet the woman at a farm in a rural area.

When the man arrived at the farm, he was met by two suspects he initially thought were police officers, according to the sheriff’s office, but the suspects drew their guns toward the victim and forced him into their vehicle, where he was stabbed.

They drove him to a separate area and held him captive at a residence, the sheriff’s office said. Police headed to the scene after “a concerned party” called for authorities to check on a man they believed was in danger, according to a news release.

Deputies said they arrived at the home and spoke to 30-year-old Juan Pablo Cruz, who denied anything was awry. Cruz was being questioned by police as the victim, who had blood on his pants leg from the stabbing, came up from the basement calling for help, the sheriff’s office said.

The victim was transported to an area hospital, and his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Investigators are referring charges to Cruz for reckless endangering safety, kidnapping, robbery and impersonating a police officer, according to the sheriff. A second suspect, who was not named, was taken into custody Tuesday.

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