JEFFERSON COUNTY — The 2013 Jefferson County case charging a Woodlawn deacon and retired carpenter with sexually assaulting children continues to trudge along through the court system, with one more in a string of pre-trial hearings being held today.

Charles “Charlie” Sanders was 68-year-old when he was first indicted in Jefferson County on three Class X felony counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child under the age of 13. Each Class X count is punishable in Illinois by up to 30 years in prison if convicted. He will turn 71 next month and a tentative jury trial date isn’t scheduled until late October.

The indictment alleges that between 2002 and 2003, Sanders committed acts of sexual penetration on a young girl and that between 2010 and 2012, he committed the same or similar acts on at least one different young girl under the age of 13.

A semi-retired union carpenter, Sanders has done work at both Woodlawn and Bethel grade schools. Starting in the mid-1980s, he began building projects at WGS, and has built steps for the bleachers, bookshelves and desks, including a special project in a fourth grade classroom.

We have reached out to Jefferson County State’s Attorney Douglas Hoffman to inquire about any progress in the case and will update you when he returns our call.

Meanwhile, Sanders remains free on $25,000 cash bond that was posted shortly after his October 2013 arrest.