LACROSSE, Wis. – A former Mayo Clinic pediatric cardiologist was sentenced to five years in prison for molesting child patients, all girls, in his private practice in LaCrosse. Joseph Thomas Poterucha, 41, had revised his plea to guilty for two 2021 incidents. Originally there were three counts. Poterucha was accused pf grooming and manipulating the girls. Besides five years in prison there will be 14 years of probation. Poterucha told the judge he was getting help for alcoholism and his sexual urges.
