A Rochelle teen pled not guilty in Ogle County court on Wednesday after he was arrested last month on the felony offense of criminal sexual assault.
Taken into custody following a 911 hang-up call was 19-year old Joseph Werstine. The Class 1 felony involves an alleged sexual assault incident with a woman.
Werstine was also charged with 2 counts of the Class "A" misdemeanor offense of criminal sexual abuse. The 2 victims were girls between the age of 13 and 17 years old.
Ogle County authorities say that Werstine knew the female victims in all 3 alleged incidents.
In court yesterday, he waived his preliminary hearing and demanded a jury trial. The judge also reduced his bond from $250,000 to $150,000. If Werstine posts 10 percent of that figure, he must wear a GPS monitoring device and also have no contact with the victims or anyone under the age of 18 years old. He also can not use the internet.
Werstine remains in jail in lieu of bond. He returns to court on July 25th for a jury status call in Oregon.
