An Aledo man has waived his preliminary hearing in a criminal sexual assault case. 47-year-old Michael S. Downey will return to Mercer County Circuit Court on January 28 for a detention hearing. He remains in custody at the Mercer County Jail.
Downey was arrested earlier this month following an investigation involving two underaged children.
He is facing three Class X felonies of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and four Class 1 felonies of criminal sexual assault. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.