Prosecutors filed charges Wednesday against 53-year-old Sterling Rachwal, who faces three misdemeanor counts alleging inappropriate contact with a horse in February.
The charges include mistreating an animal, disorderly conduct, and obstructing an officer. According to the criminal complaint, Rachwal, formerly of rural Weyauwega, was booked into the Brown County Jail on recommended charges of mistreatment of animals causing death, sexual gratification with an animal, and burglary, after deputies were called to a ranch for a suspicious person when the owner saw someone leave his barn.
According to police, they discovered the horse bleeding, but Rachwal denied assaulting the horse, despite numerous past convictions.
He’ll be in court on Tuesday.