Sex offender faces new charges

A sex offender on probation for previous child sex charges was recently charged with exposing himself to several young children, officials said.

Austin Hamilton, 26, of Des Plaines, was charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child on allegations he approached children while they were playing near their homes and then fondling himself on three separate occasions, the Cook County state's attorney's office said in a release.

Officials say Hamilton approached the group of children on Monday, and one of the victims was able to describe Hamilton. Mount Prospect police officers found him a short time later.

Hamilton was already on probation for a 2013 conviction for sexual exploitation of a child after he was found guilty of exposing himlself to a 9-year-old child.

Hamilton appeared in court Wednesday and was issued a $100,000 bond. He appears next in court June 19.