Milwaukee punk singer sentenced to 18 months' probation in domestic violence case

The former frontman of a popular Milwaukee punk band was sentenced to 18 months of probation in a domestic abuse case Friday.

Julian Sotolongo, 32, also known as Jules Frank and former guitarist for The Pukes, had entered into an agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct by use of a dangerous weapon after he was accused of chasing Jessica Jurick, his pregnant ex-girlfriend, with a knife.

Jurick provided a written victim-impact statement and addressed the court by phone, describing the lasting trauma of her experience and requesting the judge give him the maximum penalty of nine months in jail.

The Journal Sentinel typically does not name victims of domestic violence, but Jurick already has spoken out publicly about the case.

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"The impact from that day is more far-reaching than just what happened," Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Cynthia Davis said. "As you can see, her life has been affected completely.”

“She lives, from what I have gathered, essentially in a state of fear and that is the greatest harm that you have caused her in your actions," Davis said later.

As part of the plea agreement, a misdemeanor battery charge was dropped and Sotolongo received a stayed jail sentence of nine months, which he may serve if he does not comply with the rules of his probation. The judge noted Sotolongo has prior felony convictions but none for domestic violence.

Jurick had called Milwaukee police at least twice before to report his behavior before the confrontation on Sept. 10, which resulted in the current criminal case.

According to court and police records, Sotolongo pulled her from her car, hit her, chased her with a knife and threatened to cut the child from her womb if she wouldn’t be with him — not stopping until a witness intervened.

Sotolongo's attorney, Justin Singleton, disputed those facts at sentencing and questioned the credibility of Jurick. He said his client had a small pocket knife on his keychain and he said his defense investigator never heard back from the witness who spoke with police. 

The judge reminded him the plea included the specification "use of a dangerous weapon."

Sotolongo, who has since moved from Milwaukee, said he was trying "to make things right," and had taken part in counseling and completed his court-ordered batterers' treatment program.

“The regret and remorse I have cannot be overstated," he said.

Jurick, who has moved out of state, said the consequences for her are lasting.

"He has robbed me of any sense of peace or connection," she wrote in her victim-impact statement. "I am haunted by the memory of the attack every day."

In the context of the criminal case, The Pukes' discography is particularly disturbing, with one song, "Murder," featuring Sotolongo gleefully singing about committing homicide. 

After accusations against Sotolongo surfaced on Facebook in April 2017, The Pukes' two other members left the band. Sotolongo tried to book Pukes shows at Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee and the Frequency in Madison with a new lineup, but when word spread through the music community, those appearances were canceled. 

Piet Levy of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Editor's note: An earlier posted version of this story incorrectly paraphrased Sotolongo's attorney. The attorney said his client had a small pocket knifekey chain, not a switchblade.