By Rachel Warmke, rwarmke@qconline.com

Anthony Molina, 34, of 2410 18th St., Rock Island, waived his preliminary hearing in Rock Island County Circuit Court Thursday and pleaded not guilty to five counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and two counts of criminal sexual abuse of a child.

His bond, originally set at $200,000, was reduced to $100,000 per an agreement between defense attorney Steve Hanna and Assistant Rock Island County State's Attorney Margaret Osborn. Jail officials acknowledged Thursday night that Mr. Molina had been released.

A status hearing for Mr. Molina is scheduled for June 21, at which time a trial date will be set.

The preliminary hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed earlier this week because of a motion by Rock Island County State's Attorney Mark Senko to substitute judges. Judge Walter Braud granted and the motion Chief Judge Jeffrey O'Connor was assigned to the case Thursday.

Mr. Molina was arrested this week on suspicion of committing acts of sexual penetration with a girl who was 8 years old at the time. Additionally, the criminal sexual abuse charges said that between Oct. 1, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2011, Mr. Molina touched the victim's genitals for the purpose of sexual arousal.

If convicted, Mr. Molina faces between six and 30 years in prison for each of the predatory criminal sexual assault charges, which are Class X felonies. The sexual abuse charges, both Class 2 felonies, could result in three to seven years in prison per charge.