Montgomery man, 84, accused of sexually assaulting minors, now faces 127-count indictment

The preliminary hearing of an elderly Montgomery man charged with 90 counts of felony sexual assault and sexual abuse of minors was postponed today – because a grand jury had just indicted him on a total of 127 counts.

Michael G. Farris, 84, walking slowly with a cane, appeared briefly before Kane County Judge John Barsanti.

“I have not seen it yet,” Farris’s attorney Seth McClure said of the indictments.

“I saw it,” Barsanti said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lori Schmidt said she was filing a petition for relief in open court.

The State’s Attorney’s Office had previously objected to Farris being allowed on electronic home monitoring during pretrial release.

Barsanti continued Farris’s case to May 1 for a hearing on Schmidt’s motion to end his electronic home monitoring and place him in physical custody in jail.

Details of the grand jury indictment and Schmidt’s filling are not available yet.

On Feb. 25, Farris was charged with 23 felony counts of criminal sexual assault and 67 felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse which allegedly occurred over a 15-year period, from 2008 to 2022, records show.

According to the charging documents, five victims ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old.

“This defendant continued to sexually abuse minors all the way well into his 80s,” Schmidt’s filing stated. “Despite the infirmities of this defendant, the described sexual abuse does not require great physical mobility.”

Seeking Farris’ detention, Schmidt alleged that he used his position as a Boy Scout leader and train club member to get access to children.

“No conditions would mitigate the threat that Mr. Farris posed,” according to a filing by Schmidt.

Kane County Associate Judge Salvatore LoPiccolo agreed and Farris was detained in jail.

Attorney Marie Henning argued in a March 10 filing seeking Farris’s pretrial release that Farris has been in counseling, no longer has those “inclinations,” has not been involved in Boy Scouts for 15 years, does not work with children at his church and his connection to a railroad club was ending.

Henning also asserted that Farris has mobility issues in that he has no cartilage in his left knee and constant pain in his hip and back.

Barsanti allowed Farris to be on electronic home monitoring with the condition that he have no contact with the five listed victims, nor contact with any minor under 18, no access to electronic devices, cell phone or the internet, court records show.

Barsanti’s order also allows court services to search his home and said he needs to get approval in advance to go to doctor appointments.

Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser issued a statement of disapproval of allowing Farris on electronic home monitoring.

“Even the strictest EHM conditions cannot mitigate the threat Farris poses to the community,” according to Mosser’s statement.

“EHM does not allow authorities to monitor whom the defendant is with or what they are doing, which is especially concerning given the heinous allegations here – including the assault of a victim who went to Farris’ door to offer his snow shoveling services,” Mosser stated. “The scope and nature of the charges against Farris are extremely serious and deeply disturbing. He remains a danger to the community, and my office will be appealing this decision.”

Four of the victims filed court papers asserting their rights in the case against Farris.

A crime victim’s assertion of rights includes that they will be notified of each court appearance and proceeding, can communicate with prosecutors, the right to be reasonably protected from the accused and to have restitution.