Joshua Dryak was named the new Oconto County district attorney by Gov. Tony Evers on July 7, 2026. (Courtesy: Governor Tony Evers' office)
OCONTO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Oconto County has a new district attorney after several days of uncertainty that left the county without a full-time prosecutor.
Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday appointed Joshua Dryak as Oconto County district attorney, filling the vacancy created when former District Attorney Hannah Schuchart was appointed to the Oconto County Circuit Court. Dryak, who currently serves as an assistant district attorney in Outagamie County, will serve the remainder of the unexpired term through January 2029.
The appointment comes after previous reports said the county would be without a full-time prosecutor after Schuchart’s promotion to judge and the departure of the county’s only full-time assistant district attorney, Richard Zoellner, who accepted a position in Brown County. At the time, retired attorneys and prosecutors from other counties were expected to handle cases until a permanent district attorney was appointed.
The staffing shortage also raised concerns in an ongoing homicide case, where a judge questioned whether a new prosecutor would have enough time to prepare for a September trial.
Dryak previously worked in the Brown County and Milwaukee County district attorneys’ offices and in the Brown County Corporation Counsel’s Office, focusing on child welfare matters. Since 2018, he has served as a judge advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve, including active-duty service as a special victims litigator and a deployment to Europe from 2023 to 2024. He has also taught law enforcement cadets as an adjunct faculty member at Fox Valley Technical College since 2022.
“Joshua Dryak’s experience as a prosecutor and his commitment to serving the public will make him a great district attorney for the people of Oconto County,” Gov. Evers said in announcing the appointment.
Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarban welcomed the appointment, saying, “A strong partnership between law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office is essential to ensuring justice, accountability, and public safety. We are confident that District Attorney Dryak will be a valuable asset to our community, and we look forward to a productive and collaborative relationship working together to serve and protect the citizens of Oconto County.”
Dryak said he is “humbled and honored” to be appointed and plans to relocate to Oconto County.
“I look forward to making Oconto County my home and promise that I will work hard to keep this community and its citizens safe, to hold offenders accountable for their conduct, and to treat those who interact with my office with fairness, dignity, and respect,” Dryak said.
Dryak is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Marquette University Law School.
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