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WILKES-BARRE — A man from Freeland accused of mentally and physically abusing three children pled guilty to sexual extortion and child corruption offenses Friday.
Russell J. Hauze Jr., 52, was accused by Freeland police in February 2023, after investigating a ChildLine report received on Oct. 3, 2022.
Two teenage boys and a teenage girl were questioned by a forensic interviewer at the Luzerne County Children’s Advocacy Center in Wilkes-Barre.
During the interviews, the two boys claimed Hauze would routinely grab their genitals, punch them in the stomachs and chests, and were forced to engage in sex acts, according to court records.
The female teen reported that Hauze made comments about her body and opened a shower curtain while she took a shower, court records say.
Hauze pled guilty to two counts of sexual extortion and three counts of corruption of minors before President Judge Michael T. Vough.
Hauze is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 10.
In a related case, Scranton police charged Hauze in June 2023, on allegations he molested a teenage girl over her clothing in January 2019, court records say.
Hauze pled guilty to simple assault and is scheduled to be sentenced July 3 in Lackawanna County Court.