Zaruba

Feb. 10—CHIPPEWA FALLS — A Chippewa Falls man, who is already serving a 25-year prison sentence, was ordered Friday to serve an additional three years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child.

Charles V. Zaruba, 26, 912 Pearl St., pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 and violating a sex offender registration requirement.

Judge Steve Gibbs ordered the additional three years in prison on the sex offender registration conviction, along with an additional three years of extended supervision.

Zaruba, who is already incarcerated in the Stanley Correctional Institution, appeared in court via Zoom video conferencing. He declined to address the court before being sentenced.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell said he was recommending 25 years in prison and 15 years of extended supervision, but it would be concurrent to a prior, identical 25-year prison sentence on a conviction of repeatedly sexually assaulting a different child in Buffalo County Court in March 2022.

Defense attorney Kirby Harless asked Gibbs to follow the joint recommendation, noting that Zaruba is now spending 28 years in prison.

“Mr. Zaruba is accepting responsibility,” Harless said.

Zaruba now must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Chippewa Falls Councilwoman Heather Martell spoke at the hearing as a member of the community.

“The offense is hideous and it’s something that is happening at a frightening rate in the community,” Martell told Gibbs.

Martell requested that Gibbs make the sentence consecutive, rather than concurrent.

“He will have future victims,” Martell said.

Zaruba was first convicted of a sex crime in Chippewa County Court in 2010.