Naperville man gets 10 years for trying to lure young girls

A 38-year-old Naperville man who posed as a St. Charles East High School student on Facebook to lure young girls has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Eric Hakala of the 1100 block of Iroquois Avenue pleaded guilty Tuesday to indecent solicitation of a child for aggravated criminal sexual abuse and child pornography in the form of soliciting children for live or filmed performances.

Judge Blanche Hill Fawell sentenced him to 10 years, of which he will serve at least half. He has been held on $1 million bail since his Oct. 8, 2013, arrest.

Prosecutors said Hakala used a Facebook account set up in the name of a fictitious high school student, “Mike Evans,” to gain the trust of girls. He is formally accused of soliciting sex from two girls, but prosecutors said police identified at least six other potential victims, and parents were urged to check their children's Facebook accounts.

One victim, who is now 15 or 16, went to police after Hakala admitted he was “much older” and asked if that would “scare her off,” prosecutors said.

“If anyone asks, I'm 15,” Hakala told the girl.

The teen then worked with investigators who monitored texts, calls and Facebook messages from Hakala that prosecutors said were sexual. Hakala later sent an explicit photo of himself and asked to meet at a movie theater.

Detectives located Hakala in Naperville by tracking his cellphone. Officers found more than 100 images and videos of child pornography — involving victims from toddlers to 14 — on computers at his home.

Hakala's arrest followed a seven-month investigation by the U.S. Marshals Office and police in Naperville, Batavia and Oswego.

In 2001, Hakala was convicted of indecent solicitation of a child in Will County. His sentence required him to register as a sex offender for 10 years. The registration has since expired.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said Hakala's conviction should serve as a reminder for parents to monitor their children's Internet usage.

“The Internet and other forms of electronic communication have become a breeding ground for sexual predators,” Berlin said in a written statement. “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.”