A Lee County judge Thursday granted pretrial, conditional release to a Rock Falls woman facing nine sex-related charges that accuse her of sexually assaulting, abusing and exploiting minors.

Chelsea A. Morrison, 32, was charged Feb. 27 with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, one count of sexual relations within families, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of distributing harmful material to a minor. She pleaded not guilty March 4.

According to court documents, the alleged crimes took place between Jan. 1, 2021, and April 18, 2023, and involved two children, one as young as 3.

All charges are felonies, with the exception of the distributing harmful material to a minor charges. The predatory criminal sexual assault of a child charges are Class X felonies that each carry possible prison sentences of 6 to 60 years in prison. A conviction on that charge would require 85% of the sentence to be served.

On Thursday, Morrison appeared via Zoom before Lee County Judge Jacquelyn D. Ackert.

On Morrison’s behalf, Lee County Public Defender Robert Thompson asked the court to reconsider his motion for relief on Lee County Judge Matthew T. Klahn’s order for detention that was filed Feb. 27.

Klahn previously denied Thompson’s motion for relief that focused on the potential safety risk Morrison poses to the public and how to mitigate that risk, court records show.

The motion argues that Morrison poses a low risk, which could be mitigated by conditions such as home confinement or electronic monitoring. To support the claim, the motion details Morrison‘s criminal history, which consists of two domestic batteries, driving under the influence, fleeing and eluding, and driving while license suspended, all Class A misdemeanors, according to court documents.

According to the motion, Morrison scored a 4 out of 14, or “low risk,” on a pretrial risk assessment, does not live with the alleged victims and has not for some time, no minors live at her residence and she’s been consistently employed for about 13 years, according to court documents.

The motion also shows that the disclosures from victims of the alleged crimes were investigated by the Department of Children and Family Services in 2023 and it was closed with a finding of “unfounded,” according to court documents.

Ackert granted Thompson’s motion and placed Morrison on home detention and electronic monitoring. Ackert also ordered Morrison to submit to a mental health evaluation.

Morrison’s next court date is set for 8:30 a.m. May 21.