Donald Lee Collins, a 41-year-old former Ft. Campbell soldier from Clarksville, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to charges of child sexual abuse. Details released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee reveal Collins admitted to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of attempted transfer of obscene materials to someone under the age of sixteen. In the wake of his sentencing, he will also be mandated to register as a sex offender.
Investigations by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI, Nashville Field Office, and Clarksville Resident Agency, shed light on the disturbing incidents that took place between Collins and the minor, identified as the daughter of a friend. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office statement, their inappropriate communications via Facebook Messenger started in late December 2019, escalating to sexual abuse during a New Year's Eve stayover at Collins' residence.
On January 1, 2020, while driving the minor to her father's home at Fort Campbell, Collins continued his abhorrent actions both before and after entering the military base. The communication did not cease even after the abuse, with Collins maintaining contact and sending sexually explicit messages to the minor. This revelation adds severe disgrace to Collins' service record, culminating in an other-than-honorable discharge from the Army.
Post-imprisonment, Collins is facing a decade of supervised release, a period intended to safeguard society from further transgressions and facilitate his re-entry into it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison, who prosecuted the case, stated this conviction should serve as a reminder of the legal consequences of such indefensible crimes. The collaborative efforts of different law enforcement branches played a crucial role in bringing justice to the survivor and holding Collins accountable for his actions.
