Angelo Liberto, a 22-year-old Wisconsin man, remained in custody at the Milwaukee County Jail on Tuesday after police alleged he kidnapped a woman at gunpoint and planned to take her to a remote lake house where he intended to sexually assault her.
Background
According to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, Liberto met the unnamed victim through mutual friends in September 2025. The two had gone on several dates together, but the woman told police she did not want to be in a romantic relationship with him. She said she made it clear multiple times that she only wanted to remain friends and declined his attempts to kiss her or hold her hand.
Despite her rejections, Liberto allegedly continued pursuing her. Police said he showed up unannounced at her home in the early hours of May 29, claiming he had a "surprise" for her. When she told him he had "crossed boundaries" and asked him to leave, he left—but returned later that evening as planned for their scheduled date.
The Charges
Liberto was charged with attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment—all with modifiers for the use of a deadly weapon—after police said he forced the woman into his car at gunpoint on May 29.
The criminal complaint outlines a disturbing sequence of events. When Liberto picked her up for their date as planned, he told her he had a "gift" in his car and "another surprise" waiting in the back seat. She complied and got into the rear seating area, according to police.
After driving off, Liberto allegedly pulled over and pointed a Python .357 Magnum revolver at the woman, telling her "she should've been scared." When he demanded her phone password, she refused unless he put down the weapon. During the confrontation, the woman was able to grab the gun away from him—but Liberto allegedly locked all the car doors, trapping her inside.
He then produced a knife and forced her to put on a pair of handcuffs found in the back seat, the complaint states. While she remained cuffed, Liberto accused her of "seeing other people" and lying to him. Using her phone, she repeatedly attempted to call 911 and contact family members.
Police said Liberto told her he was taking her to a lake house located four hours away so he could "use her like she used him." When the victim asked if this meant sexual assault, he allegedly responded, "Yes," according to investigators. He also admitted to previously vandalizing her vehicle and indicated they would stay at the lake house for several days before making references to how "people kill people because they do bad things"—telling her, "We are at the point of no return."
Milwaukee-area law enforcement caught up to Liberto's vehicle just after 11 p.m. and initiated a traffic stop. After arresting Liberto, officers freed the woman.
Inside his car, police allegedly recovered the .357 Magnum revolver, a knife, handcuffs, duct tape, erectile dysfunction pills, a tarp, bondage restraints, what authorities described as a "hogtie kit," gloves, headlamps, an unopened package of women's underwear, lubricant, condoms, a 10-foot coil of straight chain, hydrogen peroxide, a shovel, a 36-inch gooseneck wrecking bar and an unknown clear odorless liquid.
Liberto is being held on $200,000 cash bond. He was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Key Takeaways
- Angelo Liberto, 22, was charged with attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment, all with deadly weapon modifiers
- Police allege he showed up at the victim's home unannounced claiming he had a 'surprise' before the alleged abduction occurred days later
- The victim told investigators she explicitly rejected romantic advances multiple times and only wanted friendship
- Officers recovered an extensive list of items from Liberto's vehicle, including a .357 Magnum revolver, a hacksaw, shovel, tarp, bondage equipment and other items suggesting premeditation
- Police say Liberto allegedly admitted to vandalizing the victim's vehicle in the past and referenced plans to take her to a remote lake house
What's Next
Liberto remains incarcerated at Milwaukee County Jail while awaiting further court proceedings. The case is still in its early stages, and additional charges could be filed as police continue their investigation into the items recovered from his vehicle.