Man convicted in 1998 child sexual assault case sent back to prison

According to court records, on Sept. 16, 1998 Oneida County district attorney Patrick O’Melia told an Oneida County judge that he believed Louis L. Hallock, then 38 years old, was a sexual predator. More than 25 years later, on Feb. 20, 2025, a different Oneida County prosecutor, district attorney Jillian Pfeifer, told a different judge, who was about to sentence the now 65-year-old Hallock on a probation revocation connected to his conviction in that 1998 case, the defendant was “the definition of a predator.”

A few minutes later, Price County circuit judge Mark Fuhr sentenced Hallock to 18 years in prison on the probation revocation. Because the original case dates back to the late 1990s, before the state’s truth-in-sentencing law was enacted, Hallock will be eligible for parole. With credit for 980 days already served, his parole eligibility date will come up in just under 10 years.

Pfeifer argued for a sentence of 20 years incarceration, which would have resulted in parole eligibility after just over 13 years, according to the sentencing guidelines in place in 1998.

She told the court it was the first time in her eight years as a prosecutor that she was recommending a maximum sentence. 

The reason for the recommendation, she explained, was because history had repeated itself. 

The basis for the probation revocation is a pending case filed in August of ‘23 wherein Hallock is accused of providing vulnerable adults in trouble with the law, particularly drug addicts, with bail money and a place to stay in exchange for sex. 

As Pfeifer put it, the difference between Hallock’s conduct in the late 1990s and the recent present is that “he switched from taking advantage of children and started taking advantage of adults.”

In the late ‘90s Hallock was convicted of sexually assaulting two young teenagers who he “groomed” by providing them with gifts and treats, the prosecutor explained, referencing the case O’Melia prosecuted in 1998 that caused him to characterize Hallock as a sexual predator. 

This conduct came to light after one of Hallock’s teen victims began sexually assaulting a sibling, she added, noting that later investigation also revealed that Hallock himself was the victim of abuse at the hands of a person in a “trusted position” when he was a young teenager.

Pfeifer argued the only way to put an to end to this “circle of behavior” and protect the public is to impose the maximum sentence of 20 years. She also noted that a statement Hallock made to the court when he was sentenced in the 1998 case, that he would be willing to undergo chemical castration, was “incredibly manipulative.”

She alleged that Hallock made that statement because he believed the court would interpret it as a sign of remorse, and a desire to put an end to this conduct, and would not order the procedure. 

“He is the definition of a predator,” Pfeifer said. “The only difference between the crimes now is that he has gotten smarter and instead of preying on children, he’s preying on vulnerable adults.”

For her part, defense attorney Kelli Thompson noted that Hallock served a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the ‘98 conviction and was one month away from having his supervision associated with that conviction discharged when the 2023 charges were filed.

She argued that Hallock has proven he can “regulate” himself and be a productive member of society. She disagreed with Pfeifer’s contention that his offer to submit to chemical castration was manipulative and argued that a lengthy prison term is unnecessary in part due to Hallock’s advanced age. Studies have shown that with increasing age, sex offenders are less likely to reoffend, she noted.

She recommended a sentence of five years in prison so that Hallock could take advantage of newer sex offender treatment that was not available to him during his previous prison term.

Citing the need to protect the public, Fuhr ultimately handed down a sentence of 18 years, two years less than the maximum.

Before adjourning, he also scheduled a pretrial conference in the 2023 case for May 22.

In that case, Hallock is charged with six counts of solicitation of prostitutes and one count of keeping a place of prostitution. All of those counts refer to his alleged practice of posting bail for adult drug addicts in exchange for sexual favors.