Sussex Woman Sells Stolen Phone After Claiming Woman Attacked Her, Deputies Say

A 24-year-old Sussex woman got into a scuffle with another woman, she left a few key details out of the story when she told Waukesha County deputies she was battered by the other woman, according to a criminal complaint,

Stephanie M. Landry wasn’t at the Sussex business where she claimed she had been physically assaulted. However, she did get into an altercation with the woman and stole the woman’s purse and cell phone on Sept. 20, according to a criminal complaint.

Landry was charged Thursday in Waukesha County Circuit Court with theft as a party to a crime and obstructing an officer. Ted J. Zindars Jr., 21, of Waukesha was also charged with theft as a party to a crime. If convicted, Landry faces up to 18 months in jail and $20,000 in fines and Zindars faces up to nine months in jail and $10,000 in fines.

Zindars was with Landry when she stole the cell phone and purse, the complaint states, and while Waukesha County deputies were investigating Landry’s battery allegations against the other woman, Landry received a phone call asking to purchase the stolen cell phone Zindars had posted on Craigslist.

Local deputies made contact with the man who had called Landry. He told the officers that he purchased a Galaxy Aviator 4G cell phone for $100 from Zindars while Landry was present in a parking lot in Brookfield, according to the complaint.

Landry denied the theft for days, however, she admitted she sold the cell phone with Zindars, the complaint states

Zindars denied the theft, according to the complaint, however, he admitted to having the purse and cell phone during a recorded phone call he placed at the Waukesha County Jail, according to the complaint.