THE FOLLOWING IS A VERMILION COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY’S OFFICE RELEASE
Leslie Adams, formerly of Danville, Illinois, was sentenced today to fifteen (15) years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offenses of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, a Class 2 Felony, and Child Pornography, a Class 1 Felony. Day-for-day to the entire sentence, and after his incarceration, Adams will serve (1) year of Mandatory Supervised Release (i.e., Parole) and be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
The Honorable Derek Girton entered the sentence upon hearing evidence establishing that last year, Adams engaged in sexual conduct with a female who, though twenty (20) years of age, was afflicted with an intellectual disability. The Court heard further evidence that Adams possessed images on his cell phone of his victim engaged in acts of sexual conduct. Accordingly, Adams was sentenced to seven (7) years of incarceration for the charge of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, which is the maximum period of time for that offense. The Prosecution and the defense agreed that Judge Girton could exercise his discretion in imposing consecutive sentencing for Adams‘ possession of the prohibited images, and he did so to the agreed sentence of eight (8) years of incarceration for the Child Pornography charge. Adams has been in custody since June of 2021, and though he will receive credit for that time he has been held at the Vermilion County Jail, he will only receive credit on the seven (7) year portion of his total fifteen (15) years of imprisonment.
State‘s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked the men and women of the Danville Police Department, notably Detective Chelsey Patton, for their investigation concerning these offenses. “Crimes involving the sexual abuse of intellectually disabled individuals, like those committed against children, are exceedingly disturbing and intolerable,” noted Ms. Lacy, “and my Office always will strive to ensure that sex offenders receive severe punishment for their reprehensible
