What started as a late-night car ride on May 29 ended with squad lights on the shoulder of I‑41 and a Franklin man in handcuffs, after authorities say a woman who had rejected his romantic advances was abducted and held in the back seat of his car. Deputies stopped the vehicle north of Milwaukee that night and freed the woman after she managed to call 911 during what prosecutors describe as a violent struggle. The driver, 22-year-old Angelo Liberto, is now facing several felony charges.
According to a criminal complaint, Liberto picked the woman up and told her he had a gift for her, which turned out to be lotion and chocolates. During the ride, he allegedly pulled out a handgun and demanded her phone, then produced a knife and ordered her to handcuff herself to the rear door. The complaint quotes him saying, "We are at the point of no return," and the woman later told investigators she believed she was going to be killed, according to WISN. She reportedly tried calling 911 multiple times and also reached her mother and a friend while trapped in the car.
Prosecutors have charged Liberto with attempted second-degree sexual assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment, with each count carrying a dangerous-weapon enhancer, as reported by WTMJ. Court records show his bond was first set at $25,000, then raised sharply to $2,000,000 at a later hearing.
Traffic stop and evidence
Deputies were alerted around 11:01 p.m. to a northbound vehicle on I‑41 after dispatch pinged the victim’s phone location, and they pulled the car over a short time later. When they approached, they saw a handgun, a pocketknife and handcuffs in plain view before getting the woman out of the back seat, according to WISN. A search of the trunk turned up a roll of duct tape, a hacksaw, a tarp, bondage restraints and other items that investigators say point to advance planning, the complaint states.
What the charges carry
Under Wisconsin law, second-degree sexual assault is a Class C felony that can carry up to 40 years in prison, and related confinement offenses carry their own possible terms, according to state sentencing summaries from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. With five-year weapon enhancements added to each count, court filings and reporting indicate Liberto’s total potential exposure on the current charges could reach about 81 years behind bars, per WTMJ.
What’s next
The case remains in its early stages, and Liberto is still in custody while court proceedings move forward. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information to contact the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.
