A Wisconsin inmate already serving dual life sentences without parole for murdering his girlfriend and her best friend has now been handed an additional three-year sentence for attacking a prison guard.
The Prison Assault
On Wednesday, a Brown County jury convicted 50-year-old Richard Sotka of felony battery by a prisoner after a one-day trial. Judge Beau Liegois ruled the new sentence will run consecutive to his life terms, ensuring Sotka remains behind bars for the rest of his life.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by WLUK, the assault occurred when a correctional officer removed contraband from Sotka’s cell. The officer testified that Sotka suddenly lashed out:
He struck the officer multiple times in the head and ear.
The victim described seeing “stars” and struggling to block the blows.
Backup officers eventually arrived, and the attack stopped.
The guard later said: “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.”
Convicted of Brutal Double Murder in 2023
Sotka first made headlines in January 2023, when police found the bodies of 58-year-old Rhonda Cegelski and her best friend, 53-year-old Paula O’Connor, inside Cegelski’s Newnan duplex. Both women had been stabbed repeatedly in the face and neck with an 8-inch blade.
O’Connor’s body was found near the front door with the knife still embedded in her neck.
Cegelski’s body was discovered in the kitchen.
Investigators quickly identified Sotka, Cegelski’s boyfriend, as a suspect. He had cut off his GPS ankle monitor from a prior stalking case in Oconto County and fled. Authorities caught him in Arkansas hours later with $4,000 in cash and a passport, suggesting he was preparing to escape.
His Confession
After his arrest, Sotka admitted to killing the women, saying he “snapped” when he saw them being intimate after a night of drinking. He told police he felt “humiliated” and lost control:
“He said he asked [Cegelski] where he was supposed to go and at that point he said he lost it. He said he couldn’t tell exactly what happened but he knows he completely lost it.”
In court, prosecutors also revealed Sotka’s violent past. Roughly 20 years earlier, he had assaulted another girlfriend, breaking her leg, fracturing her skull, and knocking out her teeth. That victim testified during Sotka’s trial, helping secure his conviction.
Already serving two life sentences without parole for a jealous, rage-fueled double murder, Richard Sotka has now added three more years to his time after violently attacking a prison guard. With his history of repeated violent outbursts spanning decades, Sotka will remain in prison for the rest of his life — with no possibility of release.
