MONROE — A 47-year-old registered sex offender convicted of previous offenses in both Illinois and Wisconsin faces sentencing in Green County Circuit Court for a charge of repeated sexual assault of the same child.

The defendant, Shane Hellenga, is charged with molesting a then 14-year-old boy he met at his rural Juda home. The victim was the nephew of the defendant’s friend, and the abuse allegedly occurred when the victim was in 5th grade in 2018.

The issue came to light during an appointment the victim had with a therapist at Green County Human Services, according to a criminal complaint filed on Feb. 14, 2023. That victim currently lives out of state. His family had moved to Monroe around the time of the abuse, so the victim stayed with relatives in Juda to finish the school year there.

“This (alleged abuse) occurred for approximately a month, during the week when school was in session,” said the criminal complaint. “(The victim) said this happened again for a couple of days, until a day that Shane was asleep.  (The Victim) said it was really relieving that Shane was asleep.”

Hellenga, who currently has a Poplar Grove, Illinois address, was already a life-time, registered sex offender in Illinois and was convicted in 2012 of possession of child pornography in Rock County. In April 2012, he was sentenced to a year in jail and 7 years of probation on 5 counts of child pornography, according to court records. 

In 2014, he was convicted of violating his sex offender registry rules by not updating his address. As a result of that conviction, he was sent to prison for 2 years. He was released from prison in Sept. 2016 and spent time in a halfway house.

The victim told authorities he had suffered the abuse as many as 15 times while staying with relatives in Juda.  At one point, the boy’s uncle reportedly confronted Hellenga about possible abuse of the victim.

“(The victim’s uncle) was screaming at Shane, telling Shane he would never set foot in their house again,” said the complaint. “(The uncle) had asked Shane if it was true and Shane said it wasn’t.” 

However, the defendant was never allowed again in the house or access to the victim.

Hellenga reportedly also denied the abuse allegations during interviews with investigators.

“Shane said he would never allow such a thing to happen,” said the criminal complaint.

The charge Hellenga faces, repeated sexual assault of the same child, is a Class B Felony in Wisconsin, punishable by a potential minimum sentence of 25 years in state prison. He also would have to remain a sex offender for life in Wisconsin. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry already lists him as a “sexual predator.”

District Attorney Craig Nolen declined to comment when asked what type of sentence he would be seeking during the plea hearing scheduled for Friday, Oct. 20 before Circuit Judge Faun M. Phillipson. Hellenga had been free on $50,000 signature bond.