Judge to Decide Whether Man Awaiting Retrial on Child Sexual Assault Charges Will Be Released
After Two Mistrials and More Than Four Years of Waiting, an August 6 Hearing Could Determine Whether 41-Year-Old Ecung M. Sanders Returns to the Community
July 29, 2026 | Sarah Collins | Crime & Punishment | F4F NEWS
For most Stephenson County residents, August 6 will be just another day.
For one local family, it could become one of the most important days of the past four years.
On Thursday morning, a Stephenson County judge is expected to decide whether Ecung M. Sanders, a 41-year-old man awaiting retrial on multiple child sexual assault charges, will remain in custody or be released back into the community while awaiting another jury trial.
The hearing will not determine whether Sanders is guilty or innocent.
It will determine what happens while the criminal justice process continues.
According to a source close to the alleged victims' family, who contacted Fighting4Freeport to share the family's concerns, that possibility has become one of their greatest fears since the second trial ended without a verdict.
A Case That Has Spanned More Than Four Years
Court records show Sanders currently faces charges in Stephenson County cases 2022 CF 122 and 2022 CF 123.
Prosecutors allege multiple counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, Class X felonies under Illinois law, along with additional allegations of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
The allegations involve incidents prosecutors say occurred in 2012 and 2020.
Sanders has pleaded not guilty to every charge and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The criminal cases were filed in May 2022.
More than four years later, no jury has returned a verdict.
The first jury trial ended in January 2023 after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision.
A second trial in February 2026 also ended in a mistrial.
A third jury trial is currently scheduled for October 26, 2026.
Between those trials, court records reflect dozens of hearings involving detention, evidentiary motions, scheduling conferences, and other procedural matters.
The August 6 Hearing
Before another jury is selected, the court is expected to determine whether Sanders should remain in custody or be released while awaiting trial.
Although the hearing does not address Sanders' guilt or innocence, its outcome could immediately affect everyone connected to the case.
The Family's Greatest Fear
According to a source close to the alleged victims' family, the past four years have been defined not only by court hearings but by helping the girls slowly reclaim pieces of their childhood.
Healing has come gradually through counseling, the unwavering support of family and friends, and a community that has stood beside them throughout the lengthy legal process.
"We've watched them go from being scared little girls to girls who are finally starting to smile again. That didn't happen overnight. It took years."
Despite that progress, the family says the healing remains fragile.
Their greatest fear is not simply that Sanders could be released.
It is the possibility that the girls could unexpectedly encounter the man accused of abusing them while simply trying to live normal lives.
"What happens if they see him at Walmart? At a park? At ice cream at Union Dairy? Walking down the street? Those are things most families never have to think about. We do."
The family believes a single unexpected encounter could undo years of counseling, healing, and emotional progress.
"They've worked so hard just to be kids again. We're terrified that seeing him could change all of that."
For the family, August 6 is about much more than a detention hearing.
It is about protecting the progress the girls have fought so hard to make while the justice system continues to work through a case that has remained unresolved for more than four years.
A Criminal History Spanning More Than Two Decades
The pending child sexual assault cases are not Sanders' first appearances before Stephenson County judges.
Court records reviewed by F4F NEWS show a criminal history spanning more than twenty-five years.
Those records include convictions for battery, domestic battery, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, violation of bail bond, and misdemeanor cannabis possession.
Court records also show probation and conditional discharge violations that resulted in additional jail time and imprisonment.
Other criminal cases—including robbery and residential burglary charges filed in 2001 and domestic violence-related charges filed in 2021—were dismissed and did not result in convictions.
What Happens Next
Unless the hearing is continued, all parties are expected to appear in Stephenson County court on August 6, when the judge will consider whether Sanders remains in custody while awaiting his scheduled October trial.
Whatever the court decides, the hearing represents another significant milestone in a case that has already stretched across four years, two mistrials, and countless court appearances.
The F4F NEWS team will continue following this case and report significant developments as they become available.
Because public confidence in the justice system depends not only on what happens inside the courtroom—but also on the public's ability to understand how justice is carried out.
Editor's Note
Court records identify Ecung M. Sanders as the defendant in Stephenson County cases 2022 CF 122 and 2022 CF 123. The charges discussed in this article are allegations. Sanders has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on publicly available court records, information provided by a source close to the alleged victims' family, and reporting by F4F NEWS.