Sarasota Man Gets Life In Prison For Molesting 2 Young Kids

SARASOTA, FL — A Sarasota man will spend life in prison after a jury convicted him of molesting two young children three decades ago, the State Attorney's Office of the 12th Judicial Circuit announced Thursday.

Randall Haus, 57, was sentenced after a jury found him guilty of two counts of sexual battery on a child less than 12 years of age. According to a release from the state attorney's office, Haus was convicted after admitting to police that he molested two children between 1989 and 1997.

"The victims in this case, who are now adults with families of their own, never thought they would see justice served," Assistant State Attorney Kate Metz said in a statement.

Metz continued, "The relief the victims expressed when they learned this defendant would spend the rest of his life in prison was only overshadowed by their joy that this defendant would never again be around children."

According to prosecutors, while staying at a Venice rehabilitation facility, Haus admitted to molesting two young boys in the 1990s. One of the children was his best friend's girlfriend's son, and the other was a relative, according to an arrest affidavit.

Detectives called Haus' mother, who told them "she only thought (he) inappropriately touched a child family member in the bathtub," the affidavit said. She helped police track down one of his victims, who told investigators that he was 5 or 6 years old when Haus inappropriately touched him, and he wanted to move forward with charges of capital sexual battery.

Prosecutors said police were able to locate the second victim, who confirmed Haus molested him.

While executing a search warrant at Haus' residence, police found over 1,000 DVDs, many of which contained child and adult pornography.