La Crosse man gets 10-year prison term for daytime attack of woman walking on nature trail

A 26-year-old La Crosse man is sentenced to 10 years in prison for attacking a young woman on a walking trail in March of 2022.

Joseph Grzegorek could have faced up to 40 years of prison and supervision on the charges related to the daytime assault of the woman who was walking near South Avenue. Grzegorek reached a plea agreement in the case during a hearing this spring, and at his sentencing on Friday, he apologized to the victim and said he takes full responsibility for the crime, saying that he “would do anything to right my wrong.”

He was convicted on counts of kidnapping and attempted sexual assault. The victim told police that her attacker chased her and knocked her down, and tried dragging her toward the river. He fled when she called for help.

The victim spoke at the sentencing hearing, saying that she still wakes up from “vivid nightmares” about the attack, and told Judge Ramona Gonzalez that she doesn’t want the same thing to happen to anyone else, but also said that people should not feel sorry for her.

Judge Gonzalez told the woman “you stood up for yourself, and you triumphed.” The judge also said that because of Grzegorek’s lack of a previous crime record, she believes there is a greater than normal chance that he will not reoffend.

Grzegorek will be on supervision for 12 years after he is released from prison.