A former Waupaca man is accused of assaulting a girl who was under age 4.
Patrick E. Howard, 25, Hancock, is charged with repeated sexual assault of a child.
In December 2016, Portage County deputies opened an investigation into the possible assault of a young girl.
According to the Waupaca County criminal complaint, the alleged incidents occurred between July 2013 and July 2014. The girl was younger than 4 years old at the time.
When interviewed by a specialist at the Child Advocacy Center in Marshfield, the child described various instances of sexual contact and sexual intercourse with Howard.
She said he did things that were “not good” and made her “feel not OK.”
Howard allegedly told the girl to keep what they did a secret or he could go to jail.
Howard denied the assaults happened.
He said he never saw the girl without her clothes and never touched her inappropriately.
The mother did not recall Howard being alone with the girl, although she said she saw Howard lying next to the girl.
Another witness who lived with the girl and her mother reported seeing Howard and the girl cuddling on the couch “all the time” while they lived in Plainfield.
Howard faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted of repeated sexual assault of a child.
Currently in custody in Adams County, Howard has been summoned to appear in Waupaca County Circuit Court on Jan. 15.