Scituate Man Admits to Interstate Travel for Illicit Sexual Contact

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Randy A. Collins, 44, of Scituate, RI, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to interstate travel for illicit sexual conduct, admitting to the court that on September 2, 2015, he left his place of employment in Franklin, Mass., during his workday, to meet with and have sexual contact with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old female. The person he had been communicating with online was actually a law enforcement officer assigned to the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force. Collins was arrested by Rhode Island State Police and Homeland Security Investigations when he arrived at a designated location in Cranston, RI, where he thought he was going to meet with the 14-year-old girl.

Collins’ guilty plea is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for New England.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on Thursday, Collins admitted to the court that he answered an advertisement posted on Craigslist which he believed had been posted by a 14-year old female seeking to obtain an iPhone6. According to information presented to the court, during the exchange of emails, a Rhode Island State Police Detective posing as the young teenager repeatedly informed Collins that he was communicating with a 14-year-old. Collins acknowledged the information and responded that he was still interested in meeting with her. Collins turned the exchange to a sexual nature and proposed obtaining the iPhone in exchange for sex.

Collins was initially charged on September 4, 2015, by way of a federal criminal complaint and made an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan. Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 30, 2015.

Randy Collins is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on May 26, 2016.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

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