EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man, who police say was preparing for sentencing for exposing himself to a boy and then admitted to authorities he had sexual contact with a 7-year-old boy, has been convicted of a felony charge.
Steven M. Hauck, 76, 318 Mead St., pleaded no contest recently in Eau Claire County Court to a felony count of causing mental harm to a child.
He was originally charged with felony counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, child enticement and exposing genitals.
Judge Michael Schumacher ordered a pre-sentence investigation by the state Department of Corrections.
Hauck will be sentenced on both cases on June 23.
According to the criminal complaint:
An agent with the state Department of Corrections contacted Eau Claire police on Jan. 25. The agent was preparing a pre-sentence investigation for Hauck, who was convicted of a felony count of exposing genitals on Jan. 13 and was scheduled to be sentenced in April.
During her Jan. 23 meeting with Hauck, the agent said she asked Hauck to describe his prior offenses.
Hauck disclosed a 1970 conviction where he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old boy, a 1974 conviction where he and a 13-year-old boy exposed themselves to each other, and a 1980 conviction where he had sexual contact with a 15-year-old boy.
While discussing his most recent conviction for exposing genitals, Hauck talked about having a water fight with a 7-year-old boy. Hauck said he urged the boy to expose himself. He said he also exposed himself to the boy. He said he then engaged in sexual contact with the boy.
Based on this new information, Eau Claire police contacted the 7-year-old boy’s mother and told her there had been touching between her son and Hauck.
During an interview with the boy on Jan. 31, the boy told police he was in Hauck’s residence after the water fight.
The boy said Hauck brought him into a bedroom, removed his clothing and asked the boy to touch him. Hauck then had sexual contact with the boy.
Prior to the boy leaving the residence, Hauck told him not to tell anyone and to keep it a secret.
According to the criminal complaint in the case that was set for sentencing in April, authorities say Hauck exposed himself to a boy at Hauck’s residence in the summer of 2020.
