MOUNT PLEASANT — A report of a retail theft at a Mount Pleasant business on Jan. 11 led to several criminal charges filed against a trio from the Milwaukee area.
Charged with a total of nine criminal counts are Joseph Novak, 39, Milwaukee; Keona Novak, 39, Milwaukee; and Gary Smith, 33, Greenfield.
Joseph Novak
Joseph Novak is charged a felony count of retail theft, which carries a possible prison term of three years, six months and a total fine of $10,000. He remains in custody on a $1,000 signature bond.
Keona Novak
Keona Novak faces felony charges of possession of an electronic weapon and possession of narcotic drugs, which carries a maximum prison term of nine years, six months and a $20,000 fine.
Keona Novak, who is free on a $1,000 signature bond, also is charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of THC and possession of a concealed weapon.
Gary Smith
The third defendant, Gary Smith, is charged with two felony counts of bail jumping and one felony count of retail theft, which carry a total maximum prison term of 15 years, six months and a $30,000 fine. Smith also is charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Smith remains in custody on a $1,000 signature bond.
The criminal complaint: Retail theft reported at Best Buy
An officer with the Mount Pleasant Police Department responded to Best Buy, 2170 S. Green Bay Road, on Jan. 11, for a report of a retail theft.
Store employees told the officer that a white male suspect with a tan jacket came into the store, took merchandise from the store and fled in a black Audi SUV without a license plate.
The officer reviewed security footage, which showed the man enter the store, grab a shopping cart, load “approximately three high-value items into it, and then exit without paying. The video also showed store employees follow the man to his vehicle.
Employees listed the value of the items taken in the retail theft at $1,448.98, according to the complaint.
A short time later, an officer with the Sturtevant Police Department stopped a vehicle that matched the description in the area of Washington Avenue and West Road, in Mount Pleasant. The officer on scene stated the stolen items were in the car.
Police identified Joseph Novak as the driver, Keona Novak as the front-seat passenger and Smith as the rear-seat passenger.
The responding officer positively identified Smith as the person who had taken the items from the store, based on video surveillance.
During a search of all three defendants, police found a small glass pipe with burnt residue in Smith’s front left pants pocket and a handheld stun/Taser gun in Keona Novak’s purse.
Keona Novak stated she did not have a valid concealed carry license.
While at the Racine County Jail, officers there also located three Oxycodone pills, along with what later tested positive for 16 grams of THC/marijuana that was divided into four equal size plastic baggies in Keona Novak’s bra and underwear during a strip search.
Court records show that Smith is currently free on bond in a felony possession of methamphetamine and retail theft case in Milwaukee County. Joseph Novak was charged as a habitual offender, as he was previously convicted of a felony in a different county.
Joseph Novak was due back in Racine County Circuit Court on Feb. 22, for an 8:30 a.m. status conference.
Keona Novak has a status conference scheduled for Feb. 29, at 8:30 a.m.
Gary Smith is due back in court March 1, for a status conference.
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