BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) – A Green Bay man has pleaded no contest in a Brown County courtroom to four counts connected to sexually abusing multiple horses.
A judge sentenced Rachwal to time served and put him on probation for two years on Friday.
Sterling Rachwal’s cases have been combined, with the 54-year-old having been accused in Brown County of having inappropriate sexual contact with a horse at a Town of Eaton farm in February 2017 and a similar crime in Manitowoc County from last April.
The case has left quite a few questions.
“Mr. Rachwal, I don’t really know what happened here. I mean, it’s clearly very sick and very depraved what you’re charged with and what you pled to. It’s just an awful thing for cruelty to the animals. It’s a horrible offense to them,” said Judge Timothy Hinkfuss before sentencing Rachwal.
Rachwal has also been convicted of abusing horses multiple times in the past, that was highlighted by the prosecution.
“In 1983 he had a case in Waupaca County for the mistreatment of animals….1984 Waupaca County mistreatment of animals,” said prosecuting attorney Dana Johnson.
The son of the owner of one of the abused horses, Kyle Kaponis, said this whole process has been tough.
“That horse was a great horse and while we had him, he never did anything wrong until this past year. He didn’t deserve what happened to him and nor did I,” said Kyle Kapinos.
Rachwal’s attorney said time served still sends a message.
“I think that there’s this sort of aura or idea that when you get credit for time served, it’s somehow not a real sentence or not an actual punishment and it has been,” said Shannon Viel, Rachwal’s attorney.
The situation has gotten some legal focus. Recently, state Rep. Andre Jacque started circulating a bill to make sexual assault of an animal a felony.
