A grim reminder of the dangers lurking in the digital shadows has emerged from Memphis, where a string of charges have been levied against Breon Collins, a 32-year-old man who reportedly abducted and sexually assaulted a minor he met online. Memphis Police Department responded to a call about a suspicious vehicle on December 24, 2025, culminating in a case that illustrates the increasingly treacherous terrain of social media.
Upon encountering Collins and the minor in the said vehicle on North Fernway Road, an initial attempt to detain him was met with resistance as he fled, later pushing the victim from the car. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force intervened, uncovering that Collins had deceived the young girl by masquerading as a teenager via social media, leading to the fateful meeting where the assault occurred. According to information obtained by the Memphis Police, Collins's deceit was a manipulative breach of trust that culminated in particularly heinous crimes.
Earlier this month, on Wednesday, law enforcement officers apprehended Collins in Bartlett, TN. Despite already facing serious charges, Collins made an unsuccessful break for freedom during a custodial interview. His actions have resulted in a string of charges, as confirmed by the Memphis Police Department's press release, including especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape, evading arrest in an automobile, and attempted escape.
IThey urge anyone with concerns about online exploitation to reach out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and they provide a lifeline at www.ncmec.org or through their hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
