Whiteside County jury hears allegations at center of Sterling sex assault case

MORRISON — Testimony got underway Wednesday in Whiteside County Circuit Court, where a 22-year-old Freeport man is facing multiple charges of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl at a Sterling school playground two years ago.

A Whiteside County jury began hearing testimony in the court case that accuses Leandrew T. Adams of five charges: one count of attempted predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim younger than 13, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault. If convicted of the predatory criminal sexual assault charge, the most serious of the five, he will face up to 60 years in prison.

Under questioning by Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Homan, the girl, now 14, took the eight-man, four-woman jury through her account of the events leading up to, during and after their time in a secluded alcove.

She said that in April 2023, she and a 12-year-old boy she went to school with met a new friend while hanging out on the playground at Sterling’s Jefferson Elementary School.

The girl and the new friend – a male that the girl thought was anywhere from 14 to 16 years old - exchanged Snapchat information, she said. After the two messaged each other over the next couple days, the three got together again April 12, 2023, after the newest friend called the girl on her phone while she and the 12-year-old boy were at Kilgour Park in Sterling, she said.

The girl testified that the three met at Kilgour, deciding that it was time to leave there when some other kids got rowdy, and headed to Washington Elementary School’s playground.

As day turned into night, the younger boy left, leaving the young girl and the new friend alone together on the playground, she said.

Within a few hours that new friend, Adams, would be in Sterling police custody accused of sexually assaulting the girl in the hidden alcove on Washington School property.

The girl testified that when they ended up at Washington on April 12, 2023, the three sat on benches and played on the monkey bars. The 12-year-old boy had to leave so the alleged victim walked away with that friend, but later returned to the Washington School grounds and rejoined Adams, she said. Several minutes of security footage taken at the school was played for the jury, and shows the two swinging on the playground swings.

She explained that she and Adams, whom she called Drew, then walked around the playground for several minutes and then into what is known as the grassy “U-shape” portion of the school yard that is surrounded by structures on three sides.

A tiny alcove, which could not be seen on camera, and is secluded, is where the two ended up, she said. The girl said as they entered the alcove, Adams pulled her close to him, pinned her with his arms from behind, put one hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming, and then moved that hand to her neck. She said he then moved the same hand under her leggings and sexually assaulted her.

She said she broke free as he was pulling down his pants and that she ran as fast as she could until she became breathless, caught her breath and made her way over to a woman who was walking near the school.

The woman, Ashley Walls, testified she was at the park with her son when she noticed a man, sitting at the school grounds, who was later joined by a female.

She said it was that female who later ran toward her asking for help.

“She said, ‘That guy tried to rape me,‘” Walls testified. She said the girl asked her to call 911 because her phone wasn’t working. Walls called 911 to report what the girl had said happened to her.

The 14-year-old, while under testimony, said she was trying to process what had happened to her while telling the woman she needed help. She said her phone was working.

Whiteside County Public Defender James Fagerman, who is defending Adams, told the jury during opening statements that the girl’s version of what happened changed over time.

One of the facets of that story, he said, was that the girl told police that Adams had dragged her to the alcove; however, camera footage did not confirm that. And while the camera did not capture all of their walk to the alcove, the girl did admit later she was not dragged there, but was confused because of what had happened.

The girl did undergo a physical examination, which Homan said in opening statements included a DNA test on the outside of the girl’s right ear. The girl said Adams was kissing her ear while she was with him, pinned, in the alcove. Homan said the DNA found on her ear did include DNA from a male and that Adams' DNA was a match.

Fagerman in his opening statements said that while the DNA matched Adams', it did not mean he sexually assaulted her or even kissed her, since DNA could be spread through a sneeze or other contact not of a sexual nature.

Testimony will continue Thursday morning in Whiteside County Circuit Court.