Child Victims Act Plaintiffs Warn Public About Bedford Man’s Arrest
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Several plaintiffs suing a Bedford man under the state’s Child Victims Act alleging sexual abuse decades ago, are warning the public that their abuser is facing a sex-related criminal charge and is out on bail.
Saul Wolf, the attorney for 16 plaintiffs in the civil case that was initially filed three years ago against James Collins, said his clients wanted to encourage stepping forward if they were also victims of abuse.
“We wanted to make sure that the public was aware of the arrest and pending charges so that if anyone else had, God forbid, anything happen to them, that they have the understanding that they’re not alone,” Wolf said.
Collins was arrested on Nov. 7 by New Castle police and was charged with one count of third-degree criminal sex act, a Class E felony. He is accused of having engaged with an underage teenage boy.
Collins has been out on $7,500 bail as he awaits his next court date in New Castle on Jan. 25.
Wolf said he has no knowledge of any other victims of Collins, but given the arrest and that those who have a history of engaging in sexual abuse of minors have some of the highest recidivism rates of any offenders, his clients wanted to sound the alarm to others.
“I can’t speak to Mr. Collins with any specificity as to whether other incidents happened or not happened,” he said. “All I know is what the allegations are in our actions, that childhood abuse has been alleged over the course of decades against him, and this most recent arrest, there is seemingly and allegedly additional allegations up to the present.”
Since the window to file a civil suit closed in August 2021 under the Child Victims Act, any other individuals who may allege sexual abuse cannot join the litigation.
However, Wolf said for anyone who may have been a victim locally, they should contact the Westchester County District Attorney’s office or police.
He also said the civil suit is progressing. Other defendants also included the Village of Mount Kisco, the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester and the Chappaqua School District, where Collins had been employed at various times years ago.
Motions have been made by the village and the Boys & Girls Club to dismiss them from the suit, but that ruling is still pending, Wolf said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
