CLINTON COUNTY, IL — The 22-year-old defendant in a languishing 2017 Clinton County case pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the sexual assault charges against him, while his defense attorney again filed a motion to dismiss the case due to violation of speedy trial rights. Andrew Lewis was initially arrested and charged in 2017 with three counts Class 1 felony criminal sexual assault for an alleged incident earlier that year involving graduating high school seniors in Germantown.

Three judges in the circuit had previously recused themselves from the case. Lewis’ mother is local attorney Janice Pulver who has twice run unsuccessfully for Clinton County State’s Attorney. Lewis has remained free on bond since shortly after his arrest but the case languished in court without any action for more than two years. Then in June of this year, Defense Attorney Tim Huyett filed a motion for the release of his client’s bail. An August hearing followed during which the State Appellate Prosecutor’s Office filed three additional Class 1 felony charges against the defendant and the motion to release bail was denied. Huyett has since filed two motions to dismiss the charges against his client.

Those motions will be addressed at the next pre-trial hearing scheduled for October 29 – more than four years after Lewis was arrested in the case.