Lang
7/12/21
A transient accused of walking into Walmart barefoot and walking out wearing stolen sandals has been arrested again after he allegedly deified a trespass warning in front of police, then drank tequila off the shelf so he could, in his words, “get drunk” before lifting weights.
Iowa City Police were at Walmart on Highway 1 West just before 9pm Monday for a separate service call when an officer saw 30-year-old Benjamin Massey walk inside. Massey was wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he was trespassed from Walmart by the officer on Saturday. That’s when a barefoot Massey was dropped off by a bus just before 6pm, went inside, and took a pair of sandals off the shelf and put them on his feet. He also allegedly took a pair of Wahl brand hair clippers and accompanying accessories out of the box and stuffed them in his pockets before walking out of the store without paying for any of the items.
Massey was charged with 3rd Degree Theft, an Aggravated Misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of two years in jail.
On Monday, Massey allegedly walked into the store, took a bottle of sweet tea off the shelf and drank it. He then went to the alcohol section and began drinking from a bottle of strawberry tequila. Massey later told police he wanted to get drunk before lifting weights.
Massey now faces new charges of 3rd Degree Theft and Trespassing. If convicted on the latest charges, he faces a maximum of 25 months in jail.
Police say Massey has previous theft convictions in other states, including New Mexico, Texas and Wyoming.