LMS teacher arrested on Sexual Abuse charge

44 year-old Curtis Collins was arrested Wednesday in Mingo County on charges of sexual abuse. He is accused of carrying on an inappropriate relationship with a ninth grade student at Logan High School.

LOGAN  A Logan Middle School teacher has been arrested on a charge of sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust. 

A criminal complaint filed in the Logan County Magistrate Court alleges 44 year-old Curtis Collins, of Williamson, carried on an inappropriate relationship with a Logan High School student.

According to the complaint, allegations came to light back on February nineteenth when Logan Middle School Prevention Resource Officer was presented a photo of a teacher kissing a student in the backseat of a car.

Corporal ZT Lilly writes in the complaint that the picture was taken of the victim and the defendant by a witness seated in the front seat of the car. According to the complaint, both the victim and the witness said the incident in the picture was taken in the parking lot of Walmart.

The victim and suspect’s phones were obtained for extraction of data and further investigation. Deputy Lilly alleges that the phone extractions show several phone calls between the two and Collins’ number was saved in the victim’s phone as “Camile.” According to the complaint, both Collins and the victim exchanged pictures but nothing explicit. 

The deputy obtained another search warrant for Snapchat and found alleged screen shots of messages between Collins and the victim. Moreover, the complaint states a sexually suggestive picture of Collins was in the messages.

The complaint further states that the witness who captured the original photo alleged in a Child Advocacy Center interview they had seen step messages where the victim was instructed, step by step, what Collins wanted to do to the victim.

Bond has been set at $50,000 cash only. 

If convicted, Collins faces ten to twenty years in prison. Collins has been on leave since February.

The arrest comes after Logan County Schools issued a statement Tuesday concerning staff misconduct.

The school system said it became aware of concerns and rumors circulating within the community and on social media surrounding an incident of one staff member being escorted from Logan Middle School on Monday.

"While we are unable to provide details due to the active investigation," according to the statement, " we can assure the Logan community that when district administration learned of allegations of misconduct, Logan County School officials immediately notified local law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office in accordance with the Child Protectice Services law.

PHOTO | Mingo County Sheriff's Office