Rhinelander man guilty of child sex crime

Star Journal Staff

A Rhinelander man has been found guilty following a one-day jury trial in Oneida County Wednesday on a single count of a child sex crime. Anthony Zoncki, 31 of Rhinelander, was arrested in October 2017 and charged with using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, a class C Felony.

According to law enforcement, Zoncki had been messaging someone he thought was a girl; the two had made plans to meet in the Shopko parking lot. The "girl" was actually an undercover agent with the state Department of Justice who messaged Zoncki and told him to meet her inside the store.  Zoncki stayed in his vehicle and did not meet up with the agent and was arrested in the parking lot.

Court records indicate the  jury twice told Judge Michael Bloom they were deadlocked and unable to reach a verdict. After getting requested clarifying information and instruction from the judge, the jury continued deliberations, returning just before 6 p.m. with a guilty verdict.

Zoncki will be sentenced July 31. He faces a maximum imprisonment of 40 years, $100,000 fine or both.