KENOSHA COUNTY — Kenosha Police body-camera video released Wednesday shows the moment Kenosha County Board Chairman, Daniel Esposito, is arrested at his own home in Pleasant Prairie on November 2nd.
“This was for the insulation,” Esposito said, as he went through receipts at his kitchen table, as two Kenosha police officers watched. “And this one is for the plywood.”
But Esposito couldn’t come up with the receipt for three gallons of roof coating/tar, worth more than $600.
In the video, he admitted having the tar, and kept telling officers he would find the receipt. Until they told him that the Menards in Kenosha has him on surveillance video, picking up the tar, and leaving through the guard gate without paying for it.
Kenosha Police: ”Why would you have those two receipts together, and all of the sudden the tar receipt has disappeared? And originally when we asked you what you bought there, all you mentioned was insulation and plywood. You never said anything about the tar until we mentioned the tar."
Esposito: ”Right. No, I have the tar."
Kenosha Police: “Yeah, and we know, we see you on camera taking it and not paying for it."
Esposito: ”Okay."
Kenosha Police: ”That's why we're here."
Esposito: ”Alright."
Eventually, the officers asked him point blank:
Kenosha Police: ”Did you steal it or not?”
Esposito: ”Well, yeah, I have it. So, obviously I took it out of there."
That’s when they escort him outside to their squad car and arrest him. He has been charged with felony retail theft.
Esposito and his attorney did not return our calls.
We reached out to Kenosha County Board members who also declined to comment, only saying it’s an unfortunate situations, and they’re waiting to learn more.
Because this case involves a Kenosha County leader, it’s being handled by the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office, rather than the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office.
