Bradenton man faces life sentence after child sexual abuse conviction, prosecutors say
A Manatee County jury found a Bradenton man guilty of sexually abusing a child, the State Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Jurors convicted 30-year-old Terry Tyron Collins of sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12, according to court records. The crimes carry a mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison and require Collins to register as a sexual predator, according to Florida law.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 9, according to a news release.
Detectives said the investigation began in March 2023 after an 11-year-old girl told a Manatee Children’s Services representative who was giving a presentation at her school that Collins had sexually abused her.
Investigators said the sexual abuse happened at two separate family homes in Manatee County between November 2021 and March 2023. According to an arrest record, Collins reportedly told the girl to keep the abuse a secret or “they” would take her away from her mother.
Assistant State Attorney Ashley Dusnik, who prosecuted the case, praised the young girl for coming forward.
“The State commends the young victim for her bravery and strength in disclosing the acts of abuse she endured and sharing her experience with the jury,” Dusnik said in a statement.
The guilty verdict comes following a three-day trial presided over by Circuit Court Judge Frederick Mercurio at the Manatee County Judicial Center in downtown Bradenton, according to court records.
