Man pleads not guilty to sex assault, abuse in Whiteside County case

MORRISON — A Thomson man has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of sexually assaulting and abusing a 17-year-old Fulton girl three years ago.

Andrew W. Wurster, 41, is charged with three counts of criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse that accuse him of having sexual contact with the girl in two separate incidents at her home. The incidents are alleged to have occurred in January and February 2022.

Michael Leighton, a Whiteside County sheriff’s detective, testified at Wurster’s preliminary hearing Monday, June 16, to provide details about the alleged assaults. The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office took on the case in October 2024 after the Fulton Police Department, which was short on resources at the time, asked Whiteside County to step in to investigate, Leighton said.

Formal charges against Wurster were filed April 17. He was arrested May 1 on a warrant and was granted pretrial release later that day. Whiteside County Associate Judge Magen Mertes ruled Monday that probable cause exists and the case will move forward toward trial.

Wurster will continue to be on pretrial release, with his next court appearance, a pretrial conference, set for 9 a.m. Sept. 24.

Wurster is represented by Whiteside County Public Defender James Fagerman. Assistant State’s Attorney Dana McCormick is prosecuting the case.