A Naperville man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to meet underage girls through the Internet for sexual encounters, according to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin.
Eric Hakala, 38, entered a blind plea of guilty Tuesday to one count of indecent solicitation of a child, a Class 3 felony and one count of possession of child pornography, a Class 1 felony, before Judge Blanche Hill Fawell.
Investigators from the Naperville, Oswego and Batavia police departments and the U.S. Marshals Service were able to identify a Facebook account of a 15-year-old boy named “Mike Evans” who was soliciting minors for sexual encounters. Authorities learned that the “Mike Evans” Facebook account was a fictitious account maintained by Hakala, which he used to have sexual conversations with and send sexually explicit photographs to underage girls.
The investigation also revealed that Hakala possessed more than 100 images and videos of child pornography, according to Berlin. Hakala was arrested Oct. 8, 2013, outside his home on an unrelated outstanding warrant. He was charged in this case the following day. He has remained in DuPage County Jail since that time held on a $1 million bond.
“The Internet and other forms of electronic communication have become a breeding ground for sexual predators,” Berlin said. “They hide behind the anonymity it provides as they troll this virtual playground looking for their next victim. That is why it is so important that parents have an honest conversation with their children about the potential dangers of social media and other types of electronic communication. Remind your children that people may not always be who they say they are.”
Hakala will be required to serve half his sentence before being eligible for parole.