Home confinement granted in La Salle child sex abuse case; ‘he’s under 24/7 lockdown,’ judge says

A La Salle man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old was released Tuesday into home confinement.

Phillip A. Weeks, 45, made his first appearance in the La Salle County Circuit Court since he was picked up Oct. 17 in Indiana on a La Salle County warrant. He was charged Sept. 24 with predatory criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony carrying a special sentencing range of six to 60 years in prison with no possibility of probation.

At a detention hearing, prosecutor Greg Sticka asked a judge to have Weeks held in the La Salle County Jail while awaiting trial. According to open-court statements, an investigation into repeated sexual contact had been launched in October 2023, when the victim, then 10 years old, was taken to a hospital. The resulting exam yielded DNA.

Sticka said Weeks provided a DNA sample, and it proved a 1-in-500 trillion match. Sticka called the lab result “extremely probative and incriminating.”

He further argued that Weeks presented a risk not only to the girl but also to the public, as Weeks had skipped court dates in two pending misdemeanors and “threatened to kill members of [the victim’s] family” if she disclosed the alleged acts.

Weeks could be seen shaking his head as Sticka read aloud the allegation that he threatened witnesses with death.

Public Defender Ryan Hamer said Weeks was deemed a mid-range risk (scoring 7 on a 14-point risk assessment) and his criminal history included one crime of violence, a misdemeanor battery from 14 years ago. Hamer said Weeks had a friend in Peru with whom he could dwell under house arrest.

Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan Jr. agreed to home confinement, noting Hamer must stay there except for court appearances.

“He’s not going anywhere,” the judge ruled. “He’s under 24/7 lockdown.”

Weeks also entered a not-guilty plea to the sex assault charge. He will stand trial Jan. 6 and will next appear Dec. 27 for a motions hearing.