Man convicted in adult film case

WAUSAU — A Hancock man  who used Facebook to ask girls to make adult films and work for his escort service was convicted Tuesday on related charges.

William A. Babik, 29, pleaded guilty in Marathon County court to child enticement and possession of methamphetamine; five other charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, prosecuting attorney Kyle Mayo said.

Babik posed as 22-year-old William Mayer online and solicited teen and preteen girls to work for him, according to Marathon County court records. Police began investigating the case on Aug. 15 when the mother of a 15-year-old victim told them her daughter was messaged on Facebook by Mayer, asking if the girl would be interested in being cast in adult films on the weekends.

The mother then posted a screenshot of her daughter's conversation on Facebook and received responses from mothers that said the man also contacted their daughters — a total six girls between the ages of 12 and 15 said they had been contacted by Babik, court records said.

Another mother posted a picture on Facebook of a conversation her daughter had with Babik. Babik said in the conversation he was "just wondering if (the girl wanted) a friend;" when the girl said she was 12 years old, he said "age is just a number in my opinion I hate people who judge."

After learning of the other incidents, the mother of the 15-year-old contacted police.

Investigators then used one of the victims' deactivated Facebook profiles to message Babik and, posing as the girl, arranged to meet Babik later that night at a Wausau fast food restaurant. Babik was arrested when he arrived, according to police reports.

A sentencing hearing for Babik has been scheduled for January 15.

Reporter Raina Beutel can be reached at raina.beutel@gannettwisconsin.com or 715-845-0658. Find her on Twitter as @rainabeutel.