New York Man Arrested For Child Abuse Charges Dating Back to the Late 1970s

A former resident of Arlington who is currently residing in New York has been arrested in connection with multiple incidents of child abuse that took place in the late 1970s and 1980 by a former employee of the Arlington Boys and Girls Club, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan informed the public today.

Paul Collins, 62, of New York, was arrested yesterday without incident at his home in Centereach, New York by the United States Marshal's New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Arlington Police Department, with the assistance of the Suffolk County New York Police Department.  Collins has been charged with rape of a child by force, indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14 (3 counts), and open and gross lewdness.  He was arraigned this morning on a fugitive from justice charge at the Suffolk County New York District Court and waived extradition.

Collins is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, May 20 at Cambridge District Court.

In January of this year, Arlington Police learned of accusations against another former employee, not the defendant, who is now deceased, stemming from similar activity that allegedly took place at the Arlington Boys and Girls Club. The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, working with the Arlington Police Department and the current management of the Club, launched an immediate investigation into the allegations.  During that investigation, authorities learned of accusations against the defendant who was employed at the Club for several years until 1980, when he moved out of Massachusetts.

The charges allegedly involve several male victims, now in their mid-40s, who met the defendant through their membership at the Club in the 1970s.

These charges are allegations, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty.   

The prosecutor assigned to this case is Assistant District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. The Victim Witness Advocate is Susie Marshall.