Resolution in a federal sex crimes case of a man formerly attached to the Springfield and Jacksonville church and performing arts communities will have to wait until the new year.
30-year old Adam L. Power appeared via video conference yesterday in a federal courtroom in Springfield. Power pleaded guilty to 34 felony counts of sex crimes and crimes against children in May.
Power was originally arrested in Petersburg on March 21, 2023 and charged for possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney’s Office. On June 30, 2023, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois in Springfield charged Power with production, distribution, and receipt of child pornography. A Grand Jury returned a ten-count indictment on July 6, 2023. Subsequently, on January 3rd of this year, the Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment charging him with a total of thirty-four counts involving crimes against children. Power has remained in custody in Springfield under watch of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Power previously worked in the Springfield theater community and as a music minister in several Springfield, Petersburg, and Jacksonville area churches. Power was also previously employed at Our Saviour Grade School and Routt Catholic High School.
Last Wednesday, Power filed handwritten communication to presiding judge Colleen Lawless in effect claiming ineffective counsel by defense attorney Daniel L. Fultz. Power accused Fultz of not listening to him about research on similar federal cases and at times berating him that set off anxiety attacks, dismissing certain concerns about his pleading guilty to multiple charges, and not keeping promises on a plea deal. Power claims he was led to believe he would only serve approximately 20 years in prison for his crimes, but now may be facing more than four decades or possible natural life in prison per his May pleading. On Friday, Fultz filed a motion to withdraw as Power’s counsel in the case.
Fultz claims in his motion to withdraw that he and his client have reached “irreconcilable differences” on litigation strategy.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Jacobs objected to the motion yesterday, as Springfield Defense Attorney Mark Wykoff entered an appearance as the counsel on record for Power yesterday in court.
Judge Lawless granted the motion for Fultz to withdraw, and has continued Power’s sentencing. The next scheduled hearing date has been classified as a pretrial status for January 7th.