Man pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting 7-year-old girl in Ogle County

OREGON – An Indiana man accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Wednesday to predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Casper W. Jennings, 34, of South Bend, Indiana, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday and entered the not guilty pleas when he appeared in court with his attorney, Ogle County Public Defender Kathleen Isley.

Jennings, who has been held in the Ogle County Jail since his Nov. 23 arrest, is charged with five counts of predatory criminal sexual assault, Class X felonies; and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony. He is accused of committing sex acts with the girl between June and November.

Isley told Ogle County Judge Anthony Peska that Jennings – dressed in the orange jumpsuit issued to prisoners and wearing wearing handcuffs and shackles – had agreed to waive his right to a preliminary hearing and was pleading not guilty to all charges.

During a preliminary hearing, a judge decides if evidence presented by prosecutors is sufficient to try a defendant for a crime. Only prosecutors present evidence at the hearing, but defense attorneys can cross examine witnesses.

When asked by Peska if he wanted to waive his right to a preliminary hearing and plead not guilty, Jennings replied, “Yes.”

Isley also entered a demand for a jury trial, a common practice by defense attorneys following preliminary hearings.

She requested Jennings’s next hearing date be set for 1:30 p.m. Dec. 19. Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Leisten agreed to that date.

Wednesday marked the third court appearance for Jennings since his arrest by Rochelle police.

Following a Nov. 26 detention hearing, Peska denied Jennings’s request to be released from custody as his case proceeds through the court system.

In court documents, Peska ruled that Jennings should not be released because of the “nature and circumstances” and “regularity” of the alleged offenses. He also cited Jennings’s job in the trucking industry and “reported ongoing sexual assault” of the girl while in a “position of trust and authority,” as additional reasons to deny his release.

Rochelle police arrested Jennings following an investigation in cooperation with Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center in Dixon, an agency that investigates allegations of physical or sexual abuse.

Jennings faces up to 60 years in prison under special sentencing if convicted of the Class X felonies. A Class 2 felony is punishable by three to seven years in prison.