Richard Sotka appears in court April 3, 2024, via video conference from the Brown County Jail. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – While Richard Sotka awaits sentencing for killing two women, another case against him for allegedly attacking a jail staff member continues.
Sotka, 49, was convicted last month of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide for the January 2023 murders of Rhonda Cegelski and Paula O’Connor at an east-side residence. Each count carries a mandatory life prison term at the May 20 sentencing hearing.
Despite the impending life sentences, prosecutors are pressing forward with a battery by a prisoner count, after Sotka allegedly physically assaulted a jail correctional worker in October.
In court Wednesday, the preliminary hearing for the battery case was scheduled for May 29. It was deliberately set for after the murders sentencing.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Cano said there are discussions underway to possibly resolve the case.
The complaint quotes the correctional officer saying:
Sotka screamed something, and that is when Sotka struck me for the first time with a fist. His fist hit me on my left ear. The strike hurt my ear and I saw stars. I yelled, “What are you doing?” I heard Officer AG call for backup on the radio. Sotka continued to strike me over and over again with his fist and we moved back. It felt like all the strikes were on my head. I did not give Sotka permission to strike me, cause me pain, or cause me harm in any way. At one point I went into a defensive position as he kept hitting me. I finally was able to extend my arms and stop his strikes from hitting me. Officer AG arrived, and I felt Sotka’s level of tension drop,” according to the complaint.
Jail staff immediately responded and were able to subdue Sotka and get him restrained. The officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment and was released later that same morning.
An investigation into the matter was conducted which included interviewing the victim and other witnesses, inmate correspondence, a review of available video, photos of the victim’s injuries as well are a review of the medical records related to the diagnosis and treatment of the victim’s injuries.
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