A Crystal Lake man accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl for seven months will stay behind bars after a judge ruled he poses a danger that no release conditions could contain. Andrew Franklin, 43, faces five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, all Class 2 felonies, in connection with the alleged abuse.
Illinois law defines one form of aggravated criminal sexual abuse as sexual conduct or penetration involving a victim who is at least 13 but under 17 and a person at least five years older. A separate provision classifies that offense as a Class 2 felony. The statute sets out several ways the charge can apply; the age gap described in this case meets the age thresholds in that provision, though the charges remain allegations. Illinois’ aggravated criminal sexual abuse statute.
Judge Cites Pattern of Concealment
McHenry County Judge Justin Hansen denied Franklin’s pretrial release, writing that Franklin poses a “dangerousness” that no conditions could mitigate, according to Shaw Local. Hansen wrote that Franklin began what he described as an ongoing and increasing sexual relationship with the teen in March or April of this year. The judge said Franklin used coded messages and met with the girl when she snuck out of her home, and that he took steps to avoid detection and pregnancy by purchasing Plan B emergency contraception.
Illinois’ pretrial system requires more than setting a bond amount to keep a defendant jailed before trial. After the state files a verified petition, a judge may deny release only under statutory grounds and based on specific facts; for a dangerousness finding, the state must show that release poses a real and present threat and that no release conditions can mitigate it. The law also directs judges to assess each case individually. The statute governing denial of pretrial release lays out those requirements.
Hansen also noted that Franklin knew the alleged contact was criminal, inappropriate and risky to the girl. At the same time, the judge pointed out that Franklin had no prior criminal history and was not found in possession of any weapons, the outlet’s report states.
Search Warrant Executed Overnight
Crystal Lake police detectives obtained and executed a search warrant at Franklin’s residence during the overnight hours from Friday into Saturday, per the same account. Investigators reportedly recovered evidence consistent with the alleged sexual conduct having occurred inside the home, according to a news release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office cited in the report.
State’s Attorney Randi Freese said children deserve protection, not exploitation, and that her office will pursue cases involving the sexual exploitation of minors relentlessly. Freese commended Detective Jennifer Zielinski and the Crystal Lake Police Department for their investigative work on the case, the outlet reported.
Freese’s child-protection work predates her tenure as McHenry County state’s attorney. She served as first assistant under former State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally, overseeing the office’s criminal and civil divisions, and helped develop a Crimes Against Children Task Force focused on preventing and prosecuting violent and sexual crimes against children. Freese also worked as an assistant state’s attorney beginning in 2010, handling narcotics and other major cases. Her official county biography outlines that background.
No Attorney Listed, Next Court Date Set
As of Tuesday morning, Franklin did not have an attorney listed in court records, the report notes. He is due back in a McHenry County courtroom on November 5.
The case echoes another Crystal Lake matter from 2023, when Paul J. Cuchna III, then 20, was charged with criminal sexual assault of a person between the ages of 13 and 17 while being older than 17 and in a position of trust, along with criminal sexual assault with force and battery, a Class 1 felony, according to a separate Shaw Local report. Cuchna, who had volunteered at a Crystal Lake teen center for about six months, allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a juvenile on April 27 of that year; his arrest warrant carried $75,000 bail, and a Class 1 felony conviction carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
