CLINTON COUNTY, IL — Judge Christopher Matoush on Friday dismissed three of six charges in a criminal case against a 22-year-old Beckemeyer man that has languished in Clinton County Court for an astounding five years.

Andrew Lewis was initially charged in 2017 with three Class 1 felony counts of criminal sexual assault by force.

The case bounced around for about two years as judges in the circuit recused themselves due to previous friendships with the defendant’s mother a local attorney.

The State Appellate Prosecutor’s Office was brought in to prosecute the case but after a 2019 hearing, it sat for more than two years without a single hearing being held or being scheduled.

Finally, in 2021 the defense filed a motion to dismiss the three charges against Lewis.

Instead, State Assistant Appellate Prosecutor Lorinda Lamken came back with three additional Class 1 charges of criminal sexual assault against Lewis.

On Friday, Judge Matoush dismissed those three charges and has taken under advisement a defense motion to dismiss the original three, as well. He expects to have a ruling on that motion within two weeks.

The case was filed in 2017 following an alleged incident involving graduating high school seniors in Germantown.