Sheboygan DA seeks help to ID John Doe suspect

A man who stole groceries from a local store isn't actually "John Doe" or "Calvin Klein," which is why officials are asking the public for any leads on his actual identity.

An unidentified man was charged Wednesday, July 1, for allegedly stealing groceries from a Sheboygan Piggly Wiggly in late June. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to the theft charges, but still refused to give his actual name, telling prosecutors that his name is "Calvin Klein" or referred to "Heath Ledger."

Sheboygan County DA Joe DeCecco said in a statement that without knowing his true identity, prosecutors can't be sure if he is wanted elsewhere for other crimes. His fingerprint and DNA checks did not turn up in searches of state and national databases.

Aside from the issue of other warrants, DeCecco said it's problematic to sentence an unknown man, especially since criminal history and background are usually needed to make a proper sentence. DeCecco said even the state Attorney General's Office found no case law or guiding principles in this very rare and unusual case.

"If someone is going to be sentenced and we don't know who they are, there's something fundamentally wrong with that, regardless of what the sentence is," DeCecco said.

The man, who carried no identification and refused to provide his identity to police, faces misdemeanor theft charges. He is described as an approximately 25-year-old white male with blond hair, blue eyes, a full blond beard, about 6-feet-2 and weighing approximately 200 pounds.

Police received a call about an uncooperative theft suspect who allegedly pushed a cart full of groceries out of the 3124 S. Business Drive Piggly Wiggly store without paying.

The suspect repeatedly refused to identify himself. He was put in handcuffs and the officer asked for his last name, to which he responded, "I don't remember."

The officer informed the suspect he could still be put in jail as John Doe. The suspect was searched, but no contraband or identification was found. The items in the cart totaled to $78.45 in merchandise.

The man could face up to nine months in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. The man was scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, but a judge pushed that back a month to give the prosecution time to find his identity.

Anyone with information about the man's identity should contact Sheboygan Police Lt. Scott Mittlestadt at 920-459-3333.