MT. CARMEL MAN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL SEXUAL ABUSE AND AGGRAVATED BATTERY, ORDERED HELD WITHOUT PRETRIAL RELEASE
A 56-year-old man is being held in the Wabash County Jail after being charged with two felonies in connection with an alleged incident involving a 20-year-old woman.
Jeremy Jay Drew was arrested earlier this month by local authorities and charged by Wabash County State's Attorney Kelli Storckman with Class 2 felony criminal sexual abuse and Class 3 felony aggravated battery.
According to court records, the charges stem from an alleged incident on October 5th in which Drew is accused of using his hand to slap the woman's buttocks and touch her pubic area.
The criminal sexual abuse charge is classified as a Class 2 felony due to Drew's previous conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse in 1999.
Drew appeared in Wabash County Circuit Court on October 7th, where Public Defender William Easton was appointed to represent him.
During the hearing, prosecutors requested that Drew remain in custody pending trial.
The court granted the state's petition to deny pretrial release, finding that the evidence supported the detention request, that Drew posed a real and present threat to public safety, and that no conditions of release could adequately address that threat.
Drew is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 26th at 11 a.m. A final pretrial hearing is listed for November 16th, with a jury trial scheduled to begin December 7th.
Drew remains in custody. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
