Quincy man pleads not guilty to grooming, jury trial scheduled for January

QUINCY — A pre-med student at the University of Illinois from Quincy has entered a not guilty plea on two charges of sending inappropriate text messages and pictures to a 13-year-old girl in Adams County.

Giorgio Raad, 18, 619 Birdie Lane, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday morning.

Raad faces one count of grooming, a Class 4 felony, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, a Class A misdemeanor. 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. He has no prior criminal record.

Charging documents allege Raad used the internet on Sept. 23 to communicate and attempt to seduce, solicit or entice the child, to commit criminal sexual abuse or otherwise engage in any unlawful sexual conduct with a child or with another person claimed to be a child — in this case, a 13-year-old female victim.

Raad allegedly sent pictures of his sex organs to the girl and multiple text messages of a sexual nature.

When he was charged on November 8, Judge Tad Brenner place him on home confinement and Raad was not allowed to return to the University of Illinois. He was also ordered to have no access to the internet, unless it is for school work, and no access to social media.

The case has been placed on the January jury docket.

There is a status hearing scheduled for Nov. 21 to modify his home confinement to allow visits to his attorney’s office. Raad is represented by Drew Schnack.