A felon who spent nearly seven years in prison for armed robbery is accused of robbing someone outside a Clintonville bar.
Benito M. Delbosque Jr., 41, Clintonville, is charged with armed robbery. He faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
On July 31, Clintonville Police Officer Wade Wudtke was dispatched to Cutty Sark’s tavern in response to a reported strong-arm robbery.
Wudtke met with a customer at the bar who said he had arrived after work, at approximately 11:30 p.m. He said three other people were also at the bar.
The other customers included Delbosque, his girlfriend and Wesley Caswell.
The alleged victim said he went out the tavern’s side door to smoke a cigarette. Delbosque joined him a few minutes later.
According to the criminal complaint, Delbosque told the man he had something to show him and after they walked around to the back of the building, he allegedly pulled out a knife.
The man said Delbosque demanded his cellphone and wallet. He gave him a $100 bill and Delbosque left.
When Wudtke arrived, Caswell was speaking with the victim. However, he was uncooperative with the police the night of the alleged incident.
Later, Caswell came to the Clintonville Police Department and spoke with Wudtke and Officer Dennis Schroeder. He said he had nothing to do with what happened at the bar, but he knew Delbosque.
Caswell said he had purchased some white powder that was supposed to be cocaine from Delbosque, according to the complaint. After snorting it with Delbosque in the restroom, Caswell believed it to be something else.
Caswell said Delbosque told him the other man at the bar, whom he called “the dude,” owed him some money.
Caswell went outside shortly after Delbosque and the other man had left the bar for cigarettes. He said he saw them speaking with each other and that Delbosque appeared to be holding something, but he could not see if it was a knife, according to police.
While Caswell and Delbosque were both staying at the jail for unrelated charges, Delbosque allegedly sent Caswell a note asking him to “take the rap” for what had happened, Caswell reportedly told police.
The note, which Caswell gave to investigators, said, “I need you to let them know that dude didn’t want to pay up and you took his (stuff). There was never a knife involved and me and (girlfriend) left when the arguing started.”
Multiple felony cases have been filed against Caswell since April of this year. He faces charges of battery, strangulation, bail jumping, carrying a concealed weapon and disorderly conduct.
Delbosque, who was on five years of extended supervision after being released from the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility on May 15, was sent to Dodge Correctional Institution on Sept. 15 after his supervision was revoked.