Hunter
01/07/25
An area transient was arrested after an alleged theft of a moped from downtown Iowa City.
Police stopped 39-year-old Joseph Velasquez on South Riverside Drive Sunday afternoon for an alleged traffic violation while he was on a blue moped.
Velasquez allegedly claimed that he borrowed the moped from a woman in the area of Linn Street downtown. A check of the vehicle identification number showed that the moped was reported stolen from the area the day before.
The owner of the moped stated they never gave Velasquez any authority to use her vehicle.
Velasquez was charged with 2nd degree Theft, a Class D Felony punishable by a prison term of up to five years if convicted.