Whiteside County judge hands down maximum 15-year sentence in Sterling attempted sex assault case

MORRISON – Saying that serious crimes need to result in harsh sentences, a Whiteside County judge Monday ordered a Freeport man convicted of attempted predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim younger than 13 to serve the maximum 15-year sentence.

Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge James Heuerman then went one step further by agreeing with Whiteside County Assistant State’s Attorney Lauren Homan’s request that 22-year-old LeAndrew Adams serve the 15 years consecutively to a 3-year prison sentence he was given for throwing toilet water at officers in November 2023 while he was being held in jail in the sex assault case.

“He chose the location and he chose the victim,” Homan said when speaking of the need for making the sentences consecutive, adding the victim has been in a “mental prison” inside her mind in the two years since the attempted assault

Adams was found guilty by a jury in February of one count of attempted predatory criminal sexual assault, one of several filed in connection with the April 2023 case that accused Adams of luring a 12-year-old girl into an alcove near the playground at Sterling’s Washington Elementary School and then sexually assaulting her.

The jury at that time found Adams not guilty of two counts of aggravated battery in a public place and two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim younger than 13.

Homan said Monday a consecutive sentence was appropriate based on Adams’ criminal history that included a Cook County conviction of attempted car hijacking for which he was serving conditional discharge and a domestic battery conviction in Winnebago County. He was serving 24 months’ probation in the domestic battery case at the time of the attempted sexual assault in Sterling in 2023, Homan said.

He also pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a peace officer in July 2024 for the toilet-water-throwing incident that happened while he was being held in jail, according to court documents.

“There’s a pattern here and that pattern is violence,” Homan said.

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

During the trial, the victim now 14, told the jury that in April 2023, she and a 12-year-old boy classmate first met Adams while hanging out on the playground at Sterling’s Jefferson Elementary School.

The girl and Adams – who the victim thought was anywhere from 14 to 16 years old - exchanged Snapchat information, she said. After the two messaged each other over the next couple of days, the three got together again April 12, 2023, after Adams 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 and decided to head to Washington Elementary School’s playground. The girl testified that when they ended up at Washington, the three sat on benches and played on the monkey bars. The 12-year-old boy had to leave, so the girl 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 shows the two swinging on the playground swings.

The girl said that she and Adams, whom she called Drew, walked around the playground for several minutes and into what is known as the grassy “U-shape” portion of the schoolyard 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 that 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. She caught her breath and made her way to a woman who was walking near the school.

The woman testified she called 911 to report what the girl had said happened to her. Whiteside County Public Defender James Fagerman, who defended Adams, told the jury that the girl’s version of what happened changed over time.

Fagerman reiterated those conflicts during Monday’s sentencing hearing, saying the victim’s stories about what happened were inconsistent.

He also told Heuerman that Adams’ history should be taken into consideration. He said Adams, who was born in Chicago, ended up in foster care for seven years after his parents separated when he was 4. He ran away from foster care, and later ended up living on the streets in Winnebago County. Fearing that he would be rounded up and sent back to foster care, he headed to the Sterling area, where he continued to live on the streets.

Fagerman said Adams should be spared the maximum sentence, and that the judge should take into account that at the age of 20, the young man’s brain wasn’t fully developed and impulsive decisions and taking greater risks reflect that.

“This is a child himself who is recovering from his own childhood trauma,” Fagerman said of Adams when asking for the minimum four-year sentence.

But Heuerman didn’t agree, saying that Adams’ criminal history had to be taken into account and that he was a threat to the community.

Prior to Heuerman’s sentencing decision, the victim read her impact statement in open court, saying she had nightmares, had thoughts of suicide, had harmed herself and was reminded of the incident when seeing the location.

Calling him a disgusting person, a stalker and a pedophile, the victim said her mental pain is ongoing.

“I can’t get rid of the flashbacks of you touching me,” she said.

“I was just 12 years old,” she said, adding that she is proud that she is able to stand up for herself. “I’m glad I’m getting my justice.”

Heuerman also said Adams, who declined giving a statement prior to sentencing, should thank the victim for breaking free of his grip and running away, because if she hadn’t, Adams would have followed through, committed the assault and faced even more punishment.

“The only reason he is being sentenced for attempted is because of the courage of the victim,” Heuerman said.

“Mr. Adams owes (the victim) a debt of gratitude for running away,” he said.