A sex offender charged with abusing young children stayed at the homes of three of his alleged victims, a Casper police detective testified Thursday.

Ronald Keith Mack, 43, hadn't registered as a sex offender at the time of the alleged incidents, even though he has a 1995 conviction for indecent liberties with a then 6-year-old girl, the investigator said.

The testimony, from Detective Stacia Francisco, came during a preliminary hearing where a Natrona County Circuit judge ruled the case against Mack should move forward. The hearing also offered new information about the allegations facing Mack, a Chicago native who'd been living in Casper for about four years.

Mack faces eight felony charges ranging from first-degree sexual abuse of a minor to failure to register as a sex offender. Combined, the counts carry a maximum penalty of 265 years in prison.

The alleged victims in the case are boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 8. The Star-Tribune does not identify alleged victims of sex crimes.

Police began to investigate Mack after the grandmother of one of the children found five or six pairs of girl's underwear in the defendant's room in mid-November, Francisco said. They were allegedly found in a yellow bandana hanging out of a ceiling tile and in a pillowcase.

Mack had lived at the Casper house, but had already been arrested on another matter at the time.

The woman spoke with her grandson, who reported being sexually assaulted by Mack, according to Francisco's testimony.

A girl who lived next door also reported being sexually assaulted by Mack. Mack stayed at that child's home earlier this year, the detective said.

A friend of the girl's who spent the night at her home told authorities Mack had inappropriately touched her while the girls watched a movie with him.

Mack lived at a third Casper home from September 2007 to this summer. A child who lived there said the defendant baby-sat and abused her, Francisco said.

During the testimony, Mack listened from a defense table. He did not speak during the hearing, which lasted more than one hour.

Francisco said Mack has one child of his own and an extensive criminal history in Wyoming and Chicago. She did not offer details other than Mack's 1995 conviction.

Following his arrest last month, Mack was listed on Wyoming's online registry. He served about three and 1/2 years at the Wyoming State Penitentiary for the indecent liberties conviction, according to the Department of Corrections.

Under cross examination by Mack's public defender, Rob Oldham, Francisco said police haven't identified the owners of the children's underwear found in the defendant's home.

At the end of the hearing, Circuit Judge Steven Brown ruled the state had met its burden of proof to move the case to district court. Mack should be arraigned there in the next several weeks.

He remains held at Natrona County Detention Center in lieu of $75,000 bond.

Reach crime reporter Joshua Wolfson at (307) 266-0582 or at josh.wolfson@trib.com.

News Tracker

Last we knew: Prosecutors charged a Casper man with sexually abusing four young children.

The latest: A detective detailed the case against Ronald Mack during a Thursday court hearing.

What's next: Mack should be arraigned in Natrona County District Court within several weeks.

Last we knew: Prosecutors charged a Casper man with sexually abusing four young children.

The latest: A detective detailed the case against Ronald Mack during a Thursday court hearing.

What's next: Mack should be arraigned in Natrona County District Court within several weeks.]]->