By Joe Bachman

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — A Wisconsin Rapids man faces of multiple charges of methamphetamine possession on two separate occasions.

According to police reports, on March 1, an officer spotted a vehicle driving in the area of 14th Ave. South with a license plate that was not registered. A traffic stop was soon initiated, and an officer identified the driver as 23-year-old Joseph Kaser.

The report claims that Kaser was very uncooperative with police and refused to keep his hands where officers could see them, continually attempting to reach into his pockets and between the middle console and the driver’s seat. Police soon removed Kaser, and another man identified as 20-year-old Codie Bowen, who currently resides in North Las Vegas. (mugshot not available)

After running their names through a database, officers learned that both men had outstanding warrants for their arrests. Kaser was searched and police found a melted drinking straw in his jacket pocket, including three gem baggies containing a total of 1.2 grams of methamphetamine.

Kaser allegedly claimed that the jacket he was wearing wasn’t his, even though his jacket pocket contained his ID.

A pat-down of Bowen revealed that he was carrying two gem baggies of marijuana. Court records show that Kaser was convicted of burglary and operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent in 2013.

On another occasion, according to reports on April 4, an officer spotted the same vehicle with the same unregistered license plate and soon initiated a traffic stop. Kaser was identified as the driver, and admitted he did not have a license, as his driving privileges were revoked.

The officer called for a K-9 search of the vehicle and while waiting noticed Kaser fidgeting and doing something by the middle console of the vehicle. After an eventual search of the vehicle, police found drug paraphernalia, 1.2 grams of marijuana, and 1.4 grams of methamphetamine.

If convicted, Kaser faces up to seven years imprisonment and up to $20,000 in fines for multiple charges of methamphetamine possession and drug paraphernalia. His next court date is April 18.