Title: People v. Libricz

State: illinois

Issuer: Illinois Supreme Court

Document:

2022 IL 127757 
 
IN THE 
SUPREME COURT 
OF 
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS 
 
 
 
(Docket No. 127757) 
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, Appellee, v.  
ROBERT LIBRICZ, Appellant. 
 
 
Opinion filed November 28, 2022. 
 
 
JUSTICE HOLDER WHITE delivered the judgment of the court, with opinion. 
 
Chief Justice Theis and Justices Anne M. Burke, Neville, Michael J. Burke, 
Overstreet, and Carter concurred in the judgment and opinion. 
 
OPINION 
 
¶ 1 
 
Following a November 2018 bench trial, defendant, Robert Libricz, was 
convicted of committing various sex offenses against his minor daughter and 
sentenced to prison. On appeal, defendant argued the indictment was fatally 
defective and asserted his convictions should be reversed because the alleged period 
in which the acts took place included time before the effective date of the statute 
 
 
 
 
 
- 2 - 
creating the offense. Although the Second District found two counts in the 
indictment defective, the appellate court affirmed defendant’s convictions and 
sentences. 
¶ 2 
 
Now on appeal, defendant argues counts VI and VIII of the indictment failed to 
sufficiently charge the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child 
because the 2-year period in which the alleged criminal conduct occurred included 
14 months before the effective date of the statute creating the offense. We affirm. 
 
¶ 3 
 
 
 
 
 
BACKGROUND 
¶ 4 
 
In June 2015, defendant was charged in an 11-count indictment with 
committing various sex offenses against two of his daughters, D.L. and K.L., 
between 1987 and 2006, when the victims were minors. Counts I and II charged 
defendant with the offenses of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child (720 
ILCS 5/12-14.1(a)(1) (West 1998)) and criminal sexual assault (720 ILCS 5/12-
13(3) (West 2004)), respectively, against D.L., who was born in May 1992. Counts 
III through XI charged defendant with various sex offenses against K.L., who was 
born March 27, 1984. 
¶ 5 
 
The issue in this appeal centers on counts VI and VIII, which charged defendant 
with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. This offense was created by Public 
Act 89-428, with an effective date of December 13, 1995. Public Act 89-428 was 
later held unconstitutional by this court in Johnson v. Edgar, 176 Ill. 2d 499 (1997), 
as violating the single subject clause of the Illinois Constitution (Ill. Const. 1970, 
art. IV, § 8). This rendered the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a 
child “void ab initio; that is, it was as if the law never existed.” People v. Tellez-
Valencia, 188 Ill. 2d 523, 526 (1999). The General Assembly later reenacted the 
offense in Public Act 89-462, with an effective date of May 29, 1996. The 
legislature’s “reenactment had the effect of creating an entirely new criminal 
statute.” Id. 
¶ 6 
 
Count VI charged that, “on or between March 27, 1995 and March 27, 1997, 
inclusive,” defendant committed the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of 
a child, “in violation of Chapter 720, Section 5/12-14.1(a)(1) of the Illinois 
Compiled Statutes,” in that he “knowingly committed an act of sexual penetration 
 
 
 
 
 
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with K.L., who was under 13 years of age when the act was committed,” when he 
“caused his penis to make contact with the vagina and/or anus of K.L.” See 720 
ILCS 5/12-14.1(a)(1) (West 1998). 
¶ 7 
 
Count VIII charged that, “on or between March 27, 1995 and March 27, 1997, 
inclusive,” defendant committed the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of 
a child, “in violation of Chapter 720, Section 5/12-14.1(a)(1) of the Illinois 
Compiled Statutes,” in that he “knowingly committed an act of sexual penetration 
with K.L., who was under 13 years of age when the act was committed,” in that he 
“inserted his penis inside the vagina of K.L.” See id.  
¶ 8 
 
Counts VII and IX charged defendant based on the same alleged acts and time 
period in counts VI and VIII, respectively. However, counts VII and IX alleged the 
offense of aggravated criminal sexual assault “in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-
14(b)(1) of the Illinois Compiled Statutes.” See id. § 12-14(b)(1). 
¶ 9 
 
In April 2017, defendant filed a motion for a bill of particulars, arguing he was 
unable to adequately prepare his defense. Among other things, defendant argued 
there had “been substantive law changes both within the date ranges as well as in 
the time period between the specified date ranges and the charging date.” 
¶ 10 
 
At the August 2017 hearing on the motion, defense counsel noted some of the 
charges involved a date range “as wide as two years” and “the law on these offenses 
has changed several times.” He argued that, with “such a wide date range[,] *** 
you don’t know what the law is going to be.” He also argued “this system was never 
designed to be a shot in the dark” or one that is figured “out on the fly.” 
¶ 11 
 
In response, the State argued the alleged crimes occurred within the statute of 
limitations period and the date of the offense is not an essential factor in child sex 
cases. Along with providing the best possible information regarding the location of 
where the offenses took place and the names of the victims, the State indicated the 
time frames alleged were consistent with the tendered discovery. 
¶ 12 
 
Defense counsel responded by noting the law changed over the alleged date 
ranges of the offenses and then argued “I don’t know what law we are talking about, 
the court doesn’t know what law we are talking about, and this isn’t supposed to be 
a guessing game.” 
 
 
 
 
 
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¶ 13 
 
Following questioning by the circuit court, the State contended “there really 
were no changes in the law.” Instead, the State suggested “there was simply 
renumbering and retitling of the same charges,” as it involved “the same type of 
sexual conduct.” 
¶ 14 
 
The circuit court denied the motion. The court noted “the date of the offense is 
not an essential factor in child sex offense cases” and “[i]t is permissible to allege 
a range of dates in which the offenses allegedly occurred.” On the question of 
whether each count gave defendant enough facts to enable him to prepare a defense, 
the court found that, “[a]s long as the crime occurred within the statute of 
limitations and prior to the return of the charging instrument, the State need only 
provide the Defendant with the best information it has as to when the offenses 
occurred.” 
¶ 15 
 
In May 2017, defendant filed a motion to dismiss the indictment pursuant to 
section 114-1(a)(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963 (Code) (725 ILCS 
5/114-1(a)(2) (West 2016)), arguing that counts I and III through XI were barred 
by the statute of limitations. The circuit court denied the motion in October 2018, 
finding the charges were “viable at each and every extension on the statute of 
limitations” and the State set forth the statute of limitations as required. 
¶ 16 
 
Prior to trial, defendant filed a motion to sever counts I and II with respect to 
D.L., which the circuit court granted. In November 2018, the matter proceeded to 
a bench trial. The court granted the State’s motion to dismiss counts VII and IX, 
both of which charged the offense of aggravated criminal sexual assault. The State 
proceeded on counts III, IV, V, VI, VIII, X, and XI, all of which involved K.L. As 
the issue in this appeal centers on counts VI and VIII, we will focus our attention 
on the facts pertaining to those counts. 
¶ 17 
 
K.L. testified she was born on March 27, 1984, and defendant is her biological 
father. She stated he was born in August 1960. When she was “about 11,” K.L. was 
in the family home sleeping on the couch. She awoke to find defendant, who was 
naked, on top of her. Defendant attempted to penetrate her vagina with his penis. 
K.L. stated defendant’s penis touched her vagina and her anus. On cross-
examination, defense counsel asked K.L. about the incident and stated that, “[a]t 
that time, I believe you said it was somewhere between the ages of 11 and 13.” K.L. 
responded, “[s]omewhere in there.” 
 
 
 
 
 
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¶ 18 
 
K.L. also testified about an incident that occurred when she was in sixth grade. 
She hoped to attend a school dance and asked defendant for permission. He told her 
she could attend but that she would first have to take a shower. While K.L. 
showered in the upstairs bathroom, defendant took off his clothes and “got in the 
shower” with her. Defendant bent her over and penetrated her vagina from behind 
with his penis. On cross-examination, K.L. testified that, in sixth grade, she was 11 
years old and turned 12 during the course of the school year. 
¶ 19 
 
D.L. testified regarding other acts of sexual conduct committed by defendant. 
In 1999, when she was between five and seven years old, she attended a “daddy-
daughter dance” with defendant. After they returned home from the dance, she was 
alone with defendant in his bedroom when he “put his pinky finger in [her] vagina.” 
In one instance between 2004 and 2006, when D.L. was approximately 13 years 
old, D.L. fell asleep in her parents’ bed. She awoke to discover defendant’s hand in 
her pants and “he was rubbing the outside of [her] vagina and sticking his fingers 
inside of [her] vagina.” 
¶ 20 
 
In March 2015, K.L. and D.L. went to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office to 
report the allegations of defendant’s abuse and met with Detective Michelle 
Asplund. In April 2015, K.L. had a recorded telephone conversation with defendant 
and met with him at his place of employment while wearing a recording device. 
Both recordings were played at trial. 
¶ 21 
 
During the in-person meeting with defendant, K.L. attempted to engage him in 
conversation about the alleged sexual conduct. At one point, K.L. asked defendant 
if he was going to apologize to her on his death bed, and he responded: “I thought 
about that.” He later stated: “I guarantee we didn’t have a perfect normal family, 
but I don’t think anybody’s got a perfect normal family. I never meant to hurt you 
or anybody, [K.L.]” 
¶ 22 
 
As K.L. was saying goodbye to defendant, he said, “Your mom thinks 
something went on, I don’t know why it went on. I loved you the most out of all 
the kids, [K.L.], you were my first born, you were my pride and joy. I wasn’t drunk. 
I wasn’t high. Nothing like that. I loved you. I don’t know.” 
 
 
 
 
 
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¶ 23 
 
Defendant testified in his own defense. He stated the sexual acts alleged by K.L. 
and D.L. never happened. He also testified he never did anything sexually 
inappropriate with either K.L. or D.L. 
¶ 24 
 
Following the State’s rebuttal and closing arguments, the circuit court found 
defendant not guilty of count III but guilty on all remaining counts. In considering 
the various counts, the court found D.L. to be a credible witness and that her 
testimony corroborated the State’s case. The court found defendant’s statements to 
K.L. at his place of employment to be clear and unequivocal, and his attempted 
explanations on the stand were given no weight. 
¶ 25 
 
As to count VI, the circuit court noted the act was alleged to have occurred 
between March 27, 1995, and March 27, 1997. The court found the State met its 
burden of proof on all elements of the charged offense. In referring to count VI, the 
court also stated as follows: 
 
“Although the Court is convinced beyond a reasonable doubt the incident 
occurred when [K.L.] was under age 13, the Court does not find [she] was under 
age 12 when the act occurred. Doubt exists as to the age of 11, as testified to by 
[K.L.], as [she] could only say she was around 11.” 
¶ 26 
 
As to count VIII, the circuit court found K.L.’s testimony was credible and that 
defendant’s recorded statements made to K.L. during their in-person meeting, as 
well as D.L.’s testimony, corroborated K.L.’s testimony. The court found the State 
proved all elements of count VIII beyond a reasonable doubt. 
¶ 27 
 
In December 2018, defendant filed a motion for a new trial, which the circuit 
court denied. Following a sentencing hearing, the court sentenced defendant to 
concurrent terms of 5 years in prison on count IV, 12 years on count V, 12 years on 
count VI, 18 years on count VIII, 5 years on count X, and 8 years on count XI. In 
March 2019, the court denied defendant’s amended motion to reconsider his 
sentences. 
¶ 28 
 
In April 2019, defendant pleaded guilty to count I pertaining to D.L., and the 
State agreed to dismiss count II. The circuit court sentenced defendant to six years 
in prison to be served concurrent with the sentences imposed after the bench trial. 
 
 
 
 
 
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¶ 29 
 
On appeal, defendant argued, for the first time, that counts VI and VIII, alleging 
predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, were fatally defective because the 
offense did not exist before May 29, 1996, and each count alleged that the act 
occurred on or between March 27, 1995, and March 27, 1997. 2021 IL App (2d) 
190329-U, ¶ 33. He argued his convictions on counts VI and VIII should be vacated 
because he was prejudiced in the preparation of his defense. 
¶ 30 
 
After considering this court’s decision in Tellez-Valencia, 188 Ill. 2d 523, and 
the decisions of our appellate court in People v. Mescall, 379 Ill. App. 3d 670 
(2008), and People v. Wasson, 175 Ill. App. 3d 851 (1988), the Second District 
found counts VI and VIII were defective because defendant was charged “with 
offenses that did not exist during a significant portion of the alleged periods.” 2021 
IL App (2d) 190329-U, ¶ 40. 
¶ 31 
 
However, the appellate court did not end its analysis there. Instead, it considered 
“whether ‘the indictment apprised the accused of the precise offense charged with 
enough specificity to (1) allow preparation of his defense and (2) allow pleading a 
resulting conviction as a bar to future prosecutions arising out of the same 
conduct.’ ” Id. ¶ 42 (quoting People v. DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 2d 318, 322 (1996)). The 
court found “defendant was well aware, before trial, that there had been changes in 
the law during the periods alleged in the indictment” and “counsel had enough 
information to adequately prepare a defense.” Id. ¶ 46. The court also found that 
the allegations in counts VI and VIII, along with the record of proceedings, were 
“sufficient to allow defendant to plead the judgment to bar any subsequent 
prosecution for the same conduct.” Id. ¶ 49. The Second District affirmed the 
judgment of the circuit court of McHenry County. 
¶ 32 
 
In October 2021, defendant petitioned this court for leave to appeal, and we 
allowed that petition. Ill. S. Ct. R. 315 (eff. Oct. 1, 2021). 
 
 
 
¶ 33 
 
 
 
 
 
ANALYSIS 
¶ 34 
 
In this appeal, defendant argues counts VI and VIII of the indictment failed to 
sufficiently charge the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child 
 
 
 
 
 
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because the 2-year period in which the alleged criminal conduct occurred included 
14 months before the effective date of the statute creating the offense. The 
sufficiency of a charging instrument is a question of law we review de novo. People 
v. Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 19. 
¶ 35 
 
A criminal defendant has a fundamental right, under both the United States 
Constitution (U.S. Const. amend. VI) and the Illinois Constitution of 1970 (Ill. 
Const. 1970, art. I, § 8), to be informed of the nature and cause of criminal 
accusations made against him. Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 20; People v. Meyers, 158 
Ill. 2d 46, 51 (1994). In Illinois, this right is delineated in section 111-3 of the Code 
(725 ILCS 5/111-3 (West 2010)). Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 20.  
“Section 111-3(a) demands that the charging instrument be in writing, stating 
the name of the offense and the relevant statutory provision violated, setting 
forth the nature and elements of the offense and the date and county in which 
the offense occurred, and naming the accused if known or a reasonably certain 
description.” Meyers, 158 Ill. 2d at 51. 
¶ 36 
 
Because the failure to charge an offense implicates due process concerns, it may 
be attacked at any time. DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 2d at 321. However, the timing of the 
challenge to the charging instrument is important in determining whether reversal 
of a defendant’s conviction is required. Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 21. 
¶ 37 
 
“If an indictment or information is challenged before trial in a pretrial motion, 
the charging instrument must strictly comply with the requirements in section 111-
3(a).” Id. However, when “the sufficiency of a charging instrument is attacked for 
the first time on appeal, the standard of review is more liberal.” DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 
2d at 322. In that instance, “it is sufficient that the indictment apprised the accused 
of the precise offense charged with enough specificity to (1) allow preparation of 
his defense and (2) allow pleading a resulting conviction as a bar to future 
prosecution arising out of the same conduct.” Id. “In other words, the appellate 
court should consider whether the defect in the information or indictment 
prejudiced the defendant in preparing his defense.” People v. Thingvold, 145 Ill. 2d 
441, 448 (1991); see also People v. Cuadrado, 214 Ill. 2d 79, 86 (2005) (noting 
“posttrial motions attacking the sufficiency of an indictment are subject to a 
prejudice standard”). 
 
 
 
 
 
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¶ 38 
 
In determining whether prejudice exists, “the reviewing court may resort to the 
record.” Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 22. “Thus, the question is whether, in light of 
the facts of record, the indictment was so imprecise as to prejudice defendant’s 
ability to prepare a defense.” People v. Phillips, 215 Ill. 2d 554, 562 (2005). “If the 
reviewing court cannot say that the charging instrument error inhibited the 
defendant in the preparation of his or her defense, then the court cannot conclude 
that the defendant suffered any prejudice.” Carey, 2018 IL 121371, ¶ 22. 
¶ 39 
 
Defendant argues the Fourth District’s decision in Wasson, this court’s decision 
in Tellez-Valencia, and the Second District’s decision in Mescall should control the 
disposition of his case. We look at each opinion in turn. 
¶ 40 
 
In the earliest decision of Wasson, 175 Ill. App. 3d at 853, the State charged the 
defendant with one count of aggravated criminal sexual assault, alleging the offense 
had been committed between January 1, 1983, and April 24, 1985. The effective 
date of the statute was July 1, 1984. Id. The jury heard evidence that the defendant 
committed numerous acts over the alleged period, but the trial court refused to 
instruct the jury that an essential element of the offense was finding that it occurred 
on or after the statute’s effective date. Id. at 859.  
¶ 41 
 
On appeal, the defendant argued his conviction must be reversed because (1) he 
was charged via a complaint that alleged the offense of aggravated criminal sexual 
assault had been committed sometime during a two-year period that commenced 
well before the effective date of the statute and (2) the State did not prove beyond 
a reasonable doubt that he committed the offense sometime after it was created by 
statute. Id. at 853. 
¶ 42 
 
In addressing the sufficiency of the charging instrument, the Fourth District first 
noted the defendant had not raised the issue of the defective complaint in the trial 
court. Id. at 854. However, the court found “[t]he serious nature of the State’s error 
compels us to consider this issue nonetheless.” Id. After setting forth the changes 
in the applicable law and the effective date, the court found the information alleging 
the offense of “aggravated criminal sexual assault between January 1, 1983, and 
April 24, 1985, was defective to the extent it charged the act occurred prior to July 
1, 1984.” Id. The court stated, in part, as follows: 
 
 
 
 
 
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“If an indictment or information contains sufficient information to apprise 
defendant of the charge with sufficient particularity to prepare his defense and 
to bar future prosecutions arising out of the same offense, it will be upheld when 
attacked for the first time on appeal. [Citations.] In this case we consider the 
flaws in the charging instrument are fatal defects which invalidate the entire 
instrument and warrant the reversal of defendant’s conviction. 
 
While the information adequately apprised defendant of the nature, cause, 
and elements of the charge against him, it also charged him for conduct which 
occurred before the statute came into effect. Defendant was hindered in the 
preparation of his defense because he was forced to answer to crimes for which 
he could not have been lawfully convicted.” Id. at 855. 
¶ 43 
 
The defendant also argued the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury 
that an essential element of the offense included that the sexual penetration 
occurred on or after the effective date of the statute. Id. at 859. The appellate court 
found the refusal to instruct the jury was error. Id. Further, although the appellate 
court was convinced that the victim’s testimony established that defendant 
committed an act of aggravated criminal sexual assault after July 1, 1984, without 
a limiting instruction, it was impossible to know whether the jury’s verdict was 
based on an act that predated the effective date of the charged offense. Id. at 859-
60. The court reversed the conviction and remanded for a new trial. Id. at 860. 
¶ 44 
 
Eleven years later, this court considered the validity of the charging instruments 
in Tellez-Valencia, 188 Ill. 2d at 524. In that consolidated case, the defendants were 
charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child for acts committed in the 
spring of 1996. Id. at 525. While their appeals were pending, the law that created 
the offense was held unconstitutional. Id. Shortly thereafter, the legislature 
reenacted the offense of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, with an 
effective date of May 29, 1996. Id. 
¶ 45 
 
On appeal, the defendants argued their convictions were invalid because they 
were based on charging instruments that failed to state an offense. Id. This court 
found the charging instruments at issue “failed to state an offense because the 
statute under which each was charged and prosecuted was not in effect when the 
alleged offenses occurred.” Id. at 526. This court held the State could not amend 
the charging instruments on appeal to allege the offense of aggravated criminal 
 
 
 
 
 
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sexual assault, as the proposed amendment could not be characterized “as a mere 
formality.” Id. Moreover, citing Wasson, this court found “the defect caused by 
charging an offense based upon a statute not in effect when the alleged offense 
occurred is fatal, rendering the entire instrument invalid, and warranting reversal of 
defendants’ convictions.” Id. at 527 (citing Wasson, 175 Ill. App. 3d at 854-55). 
¶ 46 
 
In 2008, the Second District in Mescall considered, in the context of a petition 
pursuant to section 2-1401 of the Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-1401 
(West 2006)), whether the State’s information charging the defendant with 
predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, based on conduct that allegedly 
occurred over a period that included time before the effective date of the statute, 
was void or voidable. Mescall, 379 Ill. App. 3d at 670. 
¶ 47 
 
Although the appellate court noted “the information was defective because a 
portion of the conduct complained of was alleged to have occurred before the 
effective date of the statute,” it held the circuit court had jurisdiction to enter the 
judgment of conviction and thus the order was voidable. Id. at 678. Accordingly, 
the court found the defendant’s failure to timely file his section 2-1401 petition 
barred his claim. Id. at 679. 
¶ 48 
 
While the indictment in this case apprised defendant of the nature, cause, and 
elements of the charges against him, it also charged him for conduct that occurred 
before the statute took effect. As the appellate court determined, we find counts VI 
and VIII were defective.  
¶ 49 
 
Although we find the indictment suffered from a defect, it must be noted that 
defendant raised the defective nature of counts VI and VIII for the first time on 
appeal. Thus, in accord with this court’s long-standing precedent, we must 
determine whether “the indictment apprised the accused of the precise offense 
charged with enough specificity to (1) allow preparation of his defense and 
(2) allow pleading a resulting conviction as a bar to future prosecution arising out 
of the same conduct.” DiLorenzo, 169 Ill. 2d at 322.  
¶ 50 
 
Reading the indictment as a whole, defendant was not prejudiced in the 
preparation of his defense as to the alleged conduct. The charges notified him of 
the alleged acts of sexual penetration, identified the time frame in which those acts 
 
 
 
 
 
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were said to have occurred, and alleged the ages of defendant and K.L. at the time 
the offenses were committed.  
¶ 51 
 
Also, prior to May 29, 1996, the alleged sexual penetration was called 
aggravated criminal sexual assault. After May 29, 1996, the same act was called 
predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Although defective, counts VI and VIII 
put defendant on notice that the alleged sexual penetration was criminal and 
allowed him to prepare a defense. That defense centered on his claim that the acts 
of penetration never occurred, not that they did not occur in a specific time frame. 
¶ 52 
 
Defendant argues the issue presented does not require a showing of prejudice. 
In essence, he asks this court to carve out an exception to the prejudice standard 
and find the defective charges per se prejudicial when they allege conduct that 
occurs prior to the effective date of the statute. We find such a carve-out 
unnecessary. The effective date of a statute is easy to discover and can be raised 
prior to trial. 
¶ 53 
 
Here, defense counsel had ample opportunity to raise the argument of the 
statute’s effective date prior to trial and even during trial. The effective date of the 
statute, May 29, 1996, cannot be said to have been impossible to discover given 
that the charges were brought in 2015. Prior to trial, defense counsel was well aware 
of the changes in the law and even filed a bill of particulars and a motion to dismiss 
the indictment. At no time did counsel raise the issue of counts VI and VIII being 
defective for alleging conduct that occurred prior to the date the statute took effect.  
¶ 54 
 
As to defendant’s reliance on the decisions in Wasson, Tellez-Valencia, and 
Mescall, we find those cases distinguishable. Mescall involved a question of 
whether the circuit court’s judgment was void or voidable for purposes of 
considering an untimely section 2-1401 petition. Given the procedural posture of 
that case, its holding offers no support beyond the fact that the charging instrument 
was found to be defective. 
¶ 55 
 
Tellez-Valencia did not consider the issue of raising the sufficiency of the 
indictment for the first time on appeal or depart from this court’s precedent 
requiring a showing of prejudice. Moreover, the defendants were charged with and 
convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault before the statute was found 
unconstitutional in Johnson, 176 Ill. 2d 499. Thus, the defendants could not have 
 
 
 
 
 
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set forth a challenge to the charging instrument through a pretrial motion, unlike 
here where defendant could have challenged the indictment based on the 1999 
decision in Tellez-Valencia when the charges were filed in 2015. However, he 
failed to do so. 
¶ 56 
 
Wasson also does not support reversal of defendant’s convictions. In that case, 
nothing indicates defense counsel knew before trial that the law had changed, in 
contrast to here where defense counsel knew there had been changes in the law and 
the effective date of the statute was readily discoverable. Moreover, in Wasson, 
“[t]he State sought to substitute one statute for another that was not the same.” 
Tellez-Valencia, 188 Ill. 2d at 534 (Rathje, J., dissenting, joined by Freeman, C.J.) 
(noting the law governing sex offenses had substantively changed). Here, there was 
no such substantive change. An act of sexual penetration between an adult and a 
child under the age of 13 taking place before May 29, 1996, was called aggravated 
criminal sexual assault. After that date, the same act was labeled predatory criminal 
sexual assault of a child. Thus, the indictment as a whole put defendant on notice 
of the alleged criminal conduct, the alleged victim, and the alleged time frame when 
the offensive conduct occurred. 
¶ 57 
 
We note defendant does not raise an argument with respect to the second prong 
of the sufficiency-of-the-indictment test. Moreover, in neither the appellate court 
nor this court did defendant make an allegation of ineffective assistance of counsel 
or claim the trial evidence was insufficient. Thus, we need not address those issues. 
Accordingly, based on the arguments raised and the applicable case law, we find 
defendant’s convictions for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child in counts 
VI and VIII must stand. 
 
¶ 58 
 
 
 
 
 
CONCLUSION 
¶ 59 
 
For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the appellate court, which 
affirmed defendant’s convictions and sentences. 
¶ 60 
 
Affirmed.