With a change in State’s Attorney taking place next month, that means Grace Simpson will be taking over a number of high-profile cases in Mercer County yet to be settled. One involves 34 year old Antonio Cortez Williamson of Davenport. He is facing three Class X felony counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. His case was continued to Jan. 11 during a pre-trial conference Monday morning in Mercer County Circuit Court. Williamson was arrested in August of 2019 following an investigation by the New Boston Police Department with assistance from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department. The case involves one child under the age of 13. Williamson remains in custody at the Mercer County Jail on $250,000 bond. Class X felonies are punishable by 6-to-30 years in prison upon conviction. Simpson is sworn-in as Mercer County State’s Attorney on Dec. 1. She replaces Meeghan Lee, who she defeated in last week’s election.
