Bond reduced for Freeport man charged with sexually assaulting Sterling preteen girl

MORRISON – Bond was reduced from $500,000 to $400,000 Friday for a Freeport man accused of sexually assaulting a Sterling preteen girl in April.

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

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 charge by one to four years.

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. Adams waived the reading of those charges Friday.

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

He must post $40,000 cash to be released on bond. He has a pretrial conference Aug. 30.

Adams was arrested about 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 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 pulled down his, exposing his genitals.

He tried to pull her toward the school, but she fought back, escaped, and immediately ran to an adult who was on the playground and told that person what happened.

The adult called 911, and officers spotted Adams and captured him after a short foot chase.

The girl identified Adams as her attacker.

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.