Marijuana vape cartridge smuggling; inmate, girlfriend accused

FRANKLIN, Wis. - A Franklin man and his Milwaukee girlfriend are accused of smuggling marijuana vape cartridges into the Community Integration Center (CRC), formerly the House of Correction, in Franklin. The accused are 23-year-old Joel Gonzales and 22-year-old Anastasia Vargas. They each face a charge of "deliver illegal articles to inmate."

According to the criminal complaint, an investigation revealed that inmate and defendant Joel Gonzales at the CRC requested that defendant Anastasia Vargas bring "vape cartridges containing THC into the CRC and place them in the women's public restroom."

A correctional officer interviewed an inmate who indicated people called Gonzales "JoJo." The inmate "stated that what was brought into the CRC (for JoJo) was ready to use marijuana vape pens," the complaint says. The inmate said Gonzales "had his girlfriend bring (the vape pens) to the CRC and (the inmate) would bring them inside. (The inmate) stated that Gonzales told him he needed to pick up the items for him in the lobby when he goes to work which is for the cleaning crew," the complaint says. The inmate also stated if officials "listened to Bed 17's phone calls we should hear him (Gonzales) talking with his girlfriend about the vapes and bringing them into the facility."

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A corrections officer provided a statement to prosecutors about the above inmate's story. The officer indicated the inmate "volunteered to be a part of the cleaning crew" on third shift one morning in December. When the inmate knocked on a window to use the bathroom, the corrections officer monitored him closely. The officer stated the inmate "seemed a little nervous because he kept looking to see what (the officer) was doing instead of using the bathroom," the complaint says. The corrections officer also said the inmate was "not utilizing the bathroom, and he was acting like he was washing his hands, but he was not because the sink had no water running." The inmate later wanted to change his shoes. After granting the inmate permission to change his shoes, the officer went into the bathroom and "found some plastic garbage bags stuffed under the sink," the complaint says. When the corrections officer went to the inmate's locker, "she found a towel that appeared to have something rolled up in it. (The officer) stated that she unrolled the towel and there was a blue glove with what appeared to be vapes inside," the complaint says.

Vargas made her initial appearance in Milwaukee County court on Thursday, April 6. She was given a stayed sentence in the CRC for misdemeanor weapon and disorderly conduct cases in 2022. Vargas also has a pending retail theft case in Washington County.

Gonzales has yet to make an initial appearance in court.