An embattled Adams County Judge has been removed from a grooming and sexual exploitation involving a teen.
Judge Robert Adrian, who recently completed hearings in front of the Illinois Courts Commission last month for a decision last year to vacate a verdict over a sexual assault of a teenager was recently removed from a case in Adams County at the request of the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office.
18-year old Giorgio Raad allegedly used the internet on Sept. 23rd to communicate and attempt to seduce, solicit, or entice a 13-year old female, to commit criminal sexual abuse or otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and also sent inappropriate text messages.
Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Keck said the state requested the removal of Judge Adrian from the case after sources told Muddy River News that local victims’ rights advocates and the victim’s family had pushed to ask for the change. Keck is said to be adamant that the decision was directly from within the State’s Attorney’s Office and not from outside influence. Chief Judge J. Frank McCartney assigned Associate Judge Tad Brenner to the case.
Raad has been charged with one count of Class 4 felony grooming and one count of Class A misdemeanor sexual exploitation of a child. Between the two charges, Raad could receive anywhere from probation to up to three years in prison. If found guilty, he also would have to register as a sex offender.
Adrian still awaits a verdict from the Illinois Courts Commission on whether his handling of the sexual assault case from 2022 amounted to misconduct. Adrian could be removed from the bench or formally reprimanded.
Raad remains on home confinement with other pretrial conditions.