A Seymour man previously convicted of child sexual assault and already on trial for a similar crime in Calumet County was charged last week with new offenses in Shawano County.
Norbert DeGroot, 73, faces a felony count of repeated sexual assault of a child that allegedly occurred in Hofa Park between 2006 and 2007. According to the criminal complaint, the alleged assaults would have begun when the child was 4 years old.
What began as an investigation into allegations of sexual contact with two children also led to DeGroot being charged in Calumet County Circuit Court in January with one count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 12 and one count of repeated sexual assault of a child.
According to court records, DeGroot pleaded no contest Thursday to repeated sexual assault and the other charge was dismissed.
DeGroot has asked that the Calumet County case be consolidated with the Shawano County case.
Charges in both counties each carry a maximum 60 years in prison, but because of his previous conviction, he could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
DeGroot was convicted of second degree sexual assault of a child in Shawano County Circuit Court in February 1989. He was sentenced to five years probation.
Shawano County authorities started investigating the new allegations in 2006, but the children involved did not disclose the alleged assaults until last year, according to the criminal complaint. Several agencies, including the state Department of Justice, became part of the investigation.
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