Former youth league coach pleads guilty to rape of 14-year-old

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - 11/2/2019

Nov. 2--PRINCETON -- A former Mercer County youth league basketball coach has pleaded guilty to raping a 14-year-old girl.

James Anthony "Tony" Collins, 36, formerly of Bluefield, entered the plea Monday in Mercer County Circuit Court.

Collins pleaded guilty by best interest to one count of second-degree sexual assault and one count sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in position of trust to a child.

As a result of the plea, Collins faces 10 to 45 years in prison. The plea also requires that he register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.

The alleged abuse occurred in April, when the victim rode with Collins to give her and other juveniles visiting a youth at his residence a ride home, according to a criminal complaint by Detective-Sgt. K.L. Adams, with the Bluefield Police Department.

After dropping off the other teens, the victim said Collins pulled into a parking lot and forced her to have sex with him, according to the complaint filed by Adams.

The victim also told investigators she was assaulted by Collins on two prior occasions, according to Adams' complaint.

Collins initially denied having intercourse with the juvenile upon questioning by Adams.

However, after being confronted with knowledge of surveillance video of the parking lot where the alleged abuse took place, the defendant's story changed, according to Adams.

"Collins then again changed his story and admitted that he had indeed had sexual intercourse with (the victim) while in the parking lot," Adams stated in the criminal complaint.

The victim told investigators that Collins also had sex with her in December of 2018, and attempted to have sex with her in January but could not "because there were other people around."

-- Contact Samantha Perry at sperry@bdtonline.com

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