Joe Lee IV

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Joe Lee IV's map and notes

A Madison man who broke into a Portage vending machine and then grabbed a police officer's Taser in an ensuing struggle could serve more than seven years in prison.

Judge Daniel S. George found Joe Lee IV, 41, guilty of resisting arrest and disarming a peace officer at a trial Tuesday. He previously pleaded no contest to one of two counts of resisting arrest and to misdemeanor theft.

During the trial, and after several - but not all - witnesses testified, Lee pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage to property.

When arrested in January, Lee allegedly had on him several dollar bills and a hand-drawn map of Portage showing the locations of many vending machines. A crow bar and saw also were reportedly found on top of the vending machine at the Portage Center for the Arts.

The map, included as evidence at the trial, was drawn by hand with pencil on a standard size of paper. It listed 14 places around Portage where vending machines were located and directions for finding the machines in several phases. Locations included Sunset Park, the Columbia County Fairgrounds, Portage Motors, The Historic building described as "Da-Ram" and Kmart, next to which was written "A-must! Jack-Pot!"

The map also included reminders for Lee: "Must have heavy duty bag or pillow case!" and "Try to move un-seen!"

Lee initially was charged with battery to a police officer and disarming a police officer, both as felonies, and with resisting/obstructing an officer, criminal damage to property and petty theft, all misdemeanors.

A charge of felony battery to law enforcement officers was dismissed on a motion from Assistant District Attorney Linda Hoffman, who prosecuted the case.

A Portage police officer was injured when Lee ran away after being spotted breaking into a vending machine near the Portage Center for the Arts in January, according to a criminal complaint. After a short chase, the officer pulled a Taser on Lee, who reportedly rushed toward the officer and grabbed the weapon before being chased again and subdued.

Lee refused offers of a plea agreement in August, choosing instead for the case to be adjudicated at a bench trial, where evidence is heard by a judge alone without a jury.

The January incident happened the same day Lee was in Columbia County Court, where he was given a suspended sentence with three years of probation on charges of manufacturing/delivering marijuana and eluding an officer.

A sentencing date has not been scheduled.

sgreen@capitalnewspapers.com

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