GREENFIELD — A Greenfield man convicted of raping a girl at a party in early 2018 has been sentenced to eight years, four of which will be served in prison.
A June bench trial in Hancock Circuit Court found Jordan A. Collins, 20, Greenfield, guilty of rape, a Level 3 felony; and two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, one a Level 5 felony and the other a Level 6. He was found not guilty of criminal confinement, a Level 6 felony.
Court Commissioner Cody Coombs sentenced Collins on Friday to eight years for the rape conviction, four of which will be served in a state prison. The remaining time will be served in Hancock County Community Corrections, work release, home detention and sex offender probation.
Coombs sentenced Collins to two years for the Level 6 felony conviction of sexual misconduct with a minor. Collins will serve the sentences for all his convictions at the same time.
Deputy prosecutor Catherine Wilson asked the court to vacate the four-year sentence on Collins’ Level 5 felony count of sexual misconduct with a minor, as it relied on the same evidence as the count of rape.
Collins cannot have contact with the victim until his probation is over and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Coombs noted Collins’ lack of criminal history and recognized the support for him, both through his family’s and friends’ presence in the courtroom and the letters he received advocating for the defendant.
But Coombs also cited part of Collins’ pre-sentence investigation report indicating he showed little to no concern for others aside from his friends and family. Coombs recognized Collins’ apology to the victim’s family and his family in court that day as well, but said the defendant lacked remorse for the accusations he admitted to throughout the case.
Before the sentencing, Collins spoke of the financial struggles his wife would be left with while he served his sentence.
“We worked really hard to get where we are,” Collins said.
During the bench trial in early June, the victim testified that Collins forced himself on her during a New Year’s party at her home in Fortville. Both had consumed alcohol at the party, she testified.
Collins, however, said that while they kissed and touched, he stopped himself from doing anything more because of the girl’s age.
Reading from a statement at last week’s sentencing hearing, the victim in the case recalled Collins ignoring her pleas to stop forcing himself on her. She also said that one day she’d be able to forgive him.
“You have to deal with your actions and I have to deal with the pain,” she said.
The victim’s father spoke as well, saying he’s only “seen glimpses” of his daughter since the incident and that he wanted Collins to understand “what he robbed” and that he “hurt a lot of people.”
Collins’ attorney, John Merlau, called Collins’ wife, Caitlin Collins, as a witness. She talked about her several younger siblings and that she’s never been concerned that her husband would harm any of them. She also spoke of the financial struggles she’d face with her husband being unable to work.
After the hearing, Wilson told the Daily Reporter that she recognizes the difficulty in determining the sentence of a defendant with no criminal history but who has been convicted of serious offenses. She added she appreciates the time the court took to determine the sentence.
Jordan Collins has 30 days from his hearing to appeal the sentences.
