Rutherford County Sheriff's Office News Release: On May 19, 2026, investigators with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office were contacted by an investigator with the Cumberland Police Department in Maine regarding information that a Rutherford County resident was allegedly exploiting a juvenile online.
Sheriff’s Office investigators immediately began an investigation, which led to the identification of James Patrick Collins, a registered sex offender residing in Bostic.
As a result of the investigation, Collins was arrested and charged with ten counts of Second-Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and one count of Failure to Register. He was arrested on May 26, 2026 and is currently being held on a $800,000 secured bond.
This investigation remains ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming.
(As a reminder, all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty)