Billerica police charge man, 61 with rape of a child

Lowell Sun
Billerica police charge man, 61, with rape of a child
The Lowell Sun

09/01/2008

Sun staff report
BILLERICA -- Police have charged a 61-year-old homeless man with five counts of rape of a child after a concerned citizen reported suspicious activity off Governor Doherty Road on Sunday night.
Dennis Collins was also charged with payment of sex for a fee, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and assault of a child with intent to rape.
According to police, a citizen called police to report seeing an older man in a car with a young boy Sunday about 10:50 p.m., near the power lines along Governor Doherty Road.
When the caller approached the car, the man drove off abruptly. The caller, fearing that the boy's safety was in jeopardy, followed the car out of the power lines and into the surrounding neighborhood.
The caller then contacted Billerica police and told them where the man's car was. Before police could catch up with the car, it drove into Burlington, where it was stopped by Burlington police.
Billerica police detectives also responded to the stop in Burlington, where they began an investigation and arrested Collins.
Police did not release the age of the boy.
Collins was being held without bail until his arraignment this morning in Lowell District Court.
Governor Doherty Road is in the Salem Road area of East Billerica.