Trial set for Freeport man accused of sexually assaulting Sterling preteen

MORRISON – A Freeport man accused of sexually assaulting a Sterling girl in April will face a jury Sept. 19 in Whiteside County Court.

LeAndrew T. Adams, 20, was charged April 13 with attempted predatory criminal assault of a child, attempted criminal sexual assault, two counts of battery and unlawful restraint, online court records show.

Those charges were amended May 4 to add two counts of predatory sexual assault, the most serious charge, which is punishable by six to 60 years.

The first two charges are punishable by at least four to 15 years in prison, the next two by two to five years, and the last by one to four years.

The trial date, set Wednesday, comes a little more than a month before Adams turns 21.

If convicted, he must serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

Adams was arrested around 7 p.m. April 12 in the 800 block of West LeFevre, after police got a call reporting an attempted assault, Sterling police said in a news release.

According to the charging documents, Adams grabbed the preteen girl as they were walking past Washington Elementary School, 815 W. LeFevre Road, put his hand over her mouth, and pulled down her pants and his, exposing his genitals.

She fought back when he tried to pull her toward the school and escaped, and immediately ran to an adult who was on the playground. That person called 911, and officers captured Adams, whom the girl identified as her attacker, after a short foot chase, according to the release.

Adams, formerly of Chicago and Gary, Indiana, was on probation at the time of his arrest.

He was sentenced Oct. 20 in Winnebago County Court to two years’ probation for theft.