Collins pleads guilty to enticing a minor

SPRINGFIELD — A Hillsboro man has admitted to enticing a 16-year-old minor for sexually explicit content.

Andrew B. Collins, 32, of Hillsboro, made the admission during a change-of-plea hearing Friday.

Collins offered intercourse for various perks

The government stated during the hearing regarding chat communications between Collins and the minor. The communications would specify engaging in intercourse in exchange for certain perks. Among them were toy gifts, promises of weekends together, nude massages, and the option to permanently live together.

For the offense of enticement of a minor, the statutory penalty is shall not be fewer than ten years in prison. Depending on the severity, it can include life in prison and paying a fine of up to $250,000. Additionally, there is a potential term of supervised release of five years to life.

Several agencies had an involvement in the investigation. They include the U.S. Secret Service and SIU Police Department. SIU Police Department is a member of the Attorney General’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Task Force. This task force also targets crimes across central and southern Illinois.

Representing the U.S. government as prosecutor was Gregory K. Harris, who is an Assistant U.S. Attorney.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. The initiative provides federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims.

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